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LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

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REPORT 


OF  THE 


OPERATIONS  OF  THE  U.  S.  REVENUE  STEAMER  NUNIYAK 


0 


ON  THE 


YUKON  RIVER  STATION,  ALASKA, 


1899-1901. 


BY 
Fir^t  Lieut.  J".  C.  C.AJNTT  W  JhJLL,  TJ.  C.  S. 

Commanding. 


WASHINGTON:* 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

1902. 


# 


Treasury  Department. 

Document  No.  2276. 

.Division  of  Revenue-Cutter  Service. 


.XT) 


CONTENTS 


Letters  of  transmittal 
Department  orders . . 


Page. 
5 

7 


Part  I— NARRATIVE. 

Chapter  I.  Introduction — Description  of  the  Xunivak — Necessity  for  a  vessel 
of  the  Revenue-Cutter  Service  on  the  Yukon  River — Arrange- 
ments for  the  voyage  of  the  vessel  to  her  station — Departure 
from  San  Francisco 19 

Chapter     II.  Incidents  of  the  voyage  of  the  Xunivak  from  San  Francisco  to 

St.  Michael 23 

Chapter  III.  Arrival  at  St.  Michael — Preparations  for  the  journey  up  the 
Yukon  River — Departure  from  St.  Michael  and  incidents  of 
the  first  season's  work  on  the  station — Selection  of  winter 
quarters  for  the  command  in  Dall  River  and  laying  up  of  the 
vessel  at  the  end  of  the  active  season 35 

Chapter  IV.  First  winter  at  Fort  Shoemaker — Incidents  of  life  in  winter 
quarters — House  building — Work  of  the  command — Sled 
trips — Opening  of  spring — Departure  from  Fort  Shoemaker. .         47 

Chapter  V.  Resumption  of  duties  on  the  Yukon  River — Enforcement  of 
law  and  order — Reconnoissance  of  the  Koyukuk  River — 
Assistance  rendered  steamer  Leah — Return  to  St.  Michael  for 
supplies — Quarantine  duty  at  St.  Michael — Departure  from 
St.  Michael  and  return  to  regular  duties  on  the  Yukon — 
Assistance  rendered  sick  and  destitute  natives — Return  to 
Fort  Shoemaker  and  close  of  the  second  season  of  open  navi- 
gation         59 

Chapter  VI.  Incidents  of  life  at  Fort  Shoemaker  during  the  second  year  of 
its  occupancy  as  winter  quarters — Description  of  the  breaking 
up  of  the  ice  in  the  spring 75 

Chapter  VII.  Abandonment  of  Fort  Shoemaker  and  resumption  of  active 
cruising  on  the  station — Incidents  of  our  third  season's  duty 
on  the  river — Return  to  St.  Michael  and  the  laying  up  of  the 
Xunivak  and  placing  her  out  of  commission — Return  of  the 
party  to  the  States 99 

Paet  II— GENERAL  INFORMATION  IN  REGARD  TO  THE  YUKON  VALLEY 

REGION. 

Chapter       I.  Description  of  the  station Ill 

Chapter     II.  Traffic  and  transportation 125 

Chapter  III.  Winter  travel 155 

Chapter    IV.  Economic  conditions 167 

Chapter      V.  Social  conditions 175 

Chapter    VI.  Law  and  order 181 

107461  3 


4 

Part  III— MINES  AND  MINING. 

Page. 

Chapter       I.  Minerals,  occurrence,  and  distribution 191 

Chapter     II.  Methods  of  locating  and  working  claims 199 

Part  IV— ETHNOLOGICAL  NOTES. 

Chapter       I.  Habits  and  customs  of  native  inhabitants 209 

Chapter     II.  Language 231 

Part  V— EXPLORATIONS. 

Reconnoissance  of  the  Koyukuk  River  by  Second  Lieut.  B.  H.  Camden, 
R.  C.  S 239 

Reconnoissance  of  the  Dall  River,  Koyukuk  Trail,  by  Third  Lieut.  Eugene 
Blake,  R.  C.  S 249 

Part  VI. 

Medical  report,  by  Surg.  James  T.  White,  R.  C.  S '. 257 

Part  VII— APPENDIX. 

A.  Table  of  distances  between  settlements  on  the  Yukon  River 277 

B.  Schedule  of  freight  and  passenger  rates  on  the  Yukon  River 278 

C.  List  of  vessels  engaged  in  commerce  on  the  Yukon  River 280 

D.  Comparative  vocabulary  of  the  Eskimo  and  Ingalik  tribes  inhabiting  the 

region 281 

E.  Component  parts  of  the  ration  issued  to  the  crew  of  the  Nunivak  while  on 

the  station 285 

F.  Natural  history: 

1.  List  of  birds 285 

2.  List  of  mammalia 288 

3.  List  of  fishes \ 289 

4.  List  of  plants ' 290 

5.  List  of  fossils 290 

G.  Meteorological  record 291 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


Treasury  Department, 

Office  of  the  Secretary, 

Washington,  August  h  1902. 
Sir:  The  operations  of  the  U.  S.  steamer  Nunivak,  conducted  under 
obedience  to  Department  orders  bearing  date  April  24,  1899,  having 
been  completed,  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  the  report  of  First 
Lieut.  John  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  S. ,  covering  the  operations  of  his  com- 
mand during  the  years  1899, 1900,  and  1901,  and  request  that  the  same 
be  printed. 

Respectfully, 

C.  F.  Shoemaker, 
Captain,  Revenue-  Cutter  Service,  Chief  of  Division. 
The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

5 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL  OF  REPORT. 


U.  8.  Revenue-Cutter  Service, 

Appraiser's  Building, 
San  Francisco,  Cat. ,  May  26,  1902. 

Sir:  In  obedience  to  Department  orders  of  October  2, 1901  (C.F.S.), 
I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  a  report  of  the  operations  of  the 
U.  S.  S.  Nunivak,  while  under  my  command,  on  the  Yukon  River 
station,  Alaska,  together  with  155  photographs  to  illustrate  the  same. 

In  the  execution  of  the  Department's  orders  directing  me  to  lay  the 
vessel  up  for  the  winter  of  1901-2  at  St.  Michael,  Alaska,  1  have  to 
acknowledge  the  receipt  of  a  great  deal  of  valuable  assistance  and 
many  acts  of  courtesy  extended  to  me  through  the  kindness  of  Gen. 
George  M.  Randall,  U.  S.  Arnry,  commanding  the  Department  of 
Alaska,  and  his  staff. 

Thanks  are  also  due  to  the  various  officers  of  the  Arnry  on  duty  at 
the  several  military  posts  along  the  river  for  their  unfailing  coopera- 
tion with  myself  and  officers  in  the  promotion  of  the  comfort  and  effi- 
ciency of  the  command,  and  to  the  managers  of  the  various  trading 
companies  doing  business  in  the  countiy  for  their  universal  kindness 
and  consideration  of  our  wants  while  in  the  country. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  report  I  have  to  acknowledge,  with  grat- 
itude, the  services  of  Mr.  Leverette  Mills  Loomis,  director  of  the 
museum,  California  Academy  of  Sciences,  of  Prof.  F.  M.  Anderson,  of 
the  University  of  California,  and  of  Miss  Alice  Eastwood,  curator  of 
botany,  California  Academy  of  Sciences,  in  the  work  of  identification 
and  classification  of  the  specimens  of  natural  history  collected  on  the 
station. 

I  desire  to  call  the  attention  of  the  Department  especially  to  the 
careful,  painstaking,  and  eminently  satisfactory  manner  in  which  the 
duty  of  selecting  supplies  for  the  command  while  on  the  station  was 
performed  by  Lieut.  D.  P.  Foley,  R.  C.  S.,  purchasing  officer  of  the 
Service  at  San  Francisco,  and  to  the  several  officers  of  the  vessels 
of  the  Service  to  whom  fell  the  duty  of  transportation  of  the  supplies 
needed  from  San  Francisco  to  St.  Michael.  A  just  idea  of  the  splendid 
manner  in  which  this  duty  was  performed  can  be  had  when  it  is  stated 
that  of  the  thousands  of  articles  thus  handled  not  one  was  lost  or 
injured  in  transit. 


8 

To  Lieut.  D.  H.  Jarvis,  R.  C.  S. ,  our  thanks  are  due  for  the  careful 
and  satisfactory  manner  in  which  he  attended  to  the  business  of  pay- 
ing off  the  command  while  on  the  station.  This  task  was  one  which 
entailed  upon  that  officer  a  considerable  amount  of  extra  work  and 
responsibility  for  the  safety  of  large  amounts  of  money  while  in  his 
possession,  and  it  is  to  the  credit  of  Lieutenant  Jarvis  that  the  duty 
was  performed  in  the  most  satisfactory  manner. 

Finally,  I  desire  to  thank  each  of  the  officers  of  the  Service  who 
were  attached  to  the  Nunivak  while  under  my  command  for  their 
unwavering  zeal,  courage,  and  efficiency  in  the  performance  of  the 
many  novel  duties  which  fell  to  them  during  the  progress  of  the 
cruise.  I  gratefully  acknowledge  their  untiring  devotion  to  duty 
under  the  most  trying  and  arduous  conditions,  and,  while  it  is  difficult 
to  mention  individuals  without  apparently  detracting  from  the  services 
of  the  whole  body  of  officers,  I  desire  to  call  the  attention  of  the 
Department  especially  to  the  remarkable  journey  of  over  1,000  miles 
across  the  country,  made  in  the  dead  of  winter  by  Assistant  Engineer 
Lewton,  R.  C.  S.,  in  obedience  to  orders  to  join  the  Nunivak,  which 
orders  were  sent  with  the  expectation  that  the  vessel  would  be  met  at 
St.  Michael;  to  the  remarkable  series  of  observations  of  meteorolog- 
ical conditions,  amounting  to  nearly  30,000  different  observations, 
which  were  made  under  the  personal  direction  of  Lieut.  Eugene  Blake, 
R.  C.  S.,  and  which  entailed  an  enormous  amount  of  labor  and  constant 
attention,  and  to  the  excellent  pilot  charts  of  the  Yukon  and  Ko  vukuk 
rivers  made  by  Lieuts.  B.  H.  Camden,  R.  C.  S.,  and  Eugene  Blake, 
R.  C.  S. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  I  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  my 
appreciation  of  the  manner  in  which  Lieutenant  Camden  performed 
the  duties  of  executive  officer  of  the  command.  Throughout  the 
entire  period  of  our  stay  in  the  North,  his  attention  to  duty  was 
unflagging,  and  his  example  of  cheerful  and  implicit  obedience  to  every 
order  emanating  from  the  commanding  officer  produced  in  the  rest  of 
the  command  a  condition  of  contentment  and  patience  under  the  most 
adverse  circumstances,  which  was  of  incalculable  assistance  and  which 
it  is  now  a  pleasure  for  me  to  acknowledge. 

In  conclusion,  I  have  again  to  thank  the  Department  for  the  honor 
conferred  upon  me  in  placing  me  in  command  of  the  Nunivak,  and  for 
the  consideration  and  kindness  with  which  all  my  subsequent  requests 
and  recommendations  have  been  met. 

Respectfully,  J.  C.  Cantwell, 

First  Lieutenant,  Revenue-  Cutter  Service. 

Capt.  C  F.  Shoemaker,  R.  C.  S.,  9 

Chief  Revenue-  Cutter  Service,  Treasury  Department, 

Washington,  D.  C. 


COPY    OF    ORDERS    OF   ASSIGNMENT    TO    DUTY   AS    COMMANDING    OFFICER 
OF    THE   U.   S.   S.   NUNIVAK. 

U.  S.  Steamer  Bear, 
San-  Francisco,  Cal.,  April  4,  1899. 
Sir:  In  accordance  with  directions  contained  in  Department  tele- 
gram of  even  date,  signed  O.  L.  Spaulding,  you  are  hereby  detached 
from  this  vessel  and  directed  to  report  to  Capt.  C.  L.  Hooper,  R.  C.  S. , 
superintendent  of  construction  and  repair,  Pacific  coast,  for  duty  as 
commanding  officer  of  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak. 

Respectfully,  yours, 

F.  Tuttle, 

Captain,  Revenue- Cutter  Service,  Commanding. 

Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  S., 

Present. 

[Indorsement.] 

• 

Reported  for  duty  April  5,  1902. 

C  L.  Hooper, 
Captain,  Revenue- Cutter  Service. 


copy  of  department  orders  defining  duties  to  be  performed 

on  the  station. 

Treasury  Department, 

Office  of  the  Secretary, 
Division  of  Revenue-Cutter  Service, 

Washington,  D.  C,  April  U,  1899. 
Sir:  The  duties  of  your  command,  after  arrival  upon  the  Yukon 
River,  Alaska,  are  outlined  as  follows: 

1.  The  primary  purpose  of  a  vessel  of  the  Revenue-Cutter  Service 
upon  the  Yukon  River  during  the  open  season  of  navigation  is  to 
enforce  the  customs  and  navigation  laws,  and  in  addition  thereto  all 
laws  falling  under  the  purview  of  the  Revenue-Cutter  Service  as  set 
out  in  paragraph  98,  Regulations  Revenue-Cutter  Service,  1894,  with 
special  reference  to  the  following  subdivisions  of  the  paragraph  cited, 
to  wit,  1,  2,  5,  6,  8,  10,  12,  and  15. 

2.  The  cruising  grounds  of  the  Nunivah  will  be,  according  to  cir- 
cumstances, from  the  mouth  of  the  river  not  to  exceed  1,000  miles  up 

the  stream. 

9 


10 

3.  In  order  that  the  best  interests  of  the  public  service  may  be  sub- 
served in  the  enforcement  of  the  customs  laws  you  will  confer  with 
such  United  States  customs  officers  as  may  be  found  on  the  river. 
Collector  Ivy,  within  whose  district  the  Nunivak  will  cruise,  may  be 
found  at  St.  Michael  or  vicinity,  and  you  will  extend  to  him  such 
courtesies  on  public  service  as  you  can,  he  to  bear  his  own  mess 
expenses  while  on  board. 

4.  You  will  extend  such  assistance  as  you  can  to  destitute  miners, 
seamen,  and  others. 

5.  Should  you  be  called  upon  to  aid  the  civil  or  military  authorities 
in  the  enforcement  of  law,  you  will  do  so  to  the  full  extent  of  your 
power.  Should  you  at  any  time  become  cognizant  of  violations  of 
law,  by  evil  disposed  persons,  you  will,  if  possible,  arrest  the  offenders 
and  turn  them  over  to  the  nearest  civil  authorities  having  jurisdic- 
tion. It  will  be  your  duty  to  let  it  be  generally  known,  in  a  careful 
and  judicious  manner,  among  the  people  on  the  Yukon  River  and  its 
tributaries  navigated  by  the  Nunivak .',  that  your  command  is  a  part  of 
the  national  armed  force  of  the  Government  and  must  be  obeyed 
accordingly.  In  view  of  the  isolation  of  your  command,  and  the 
practical  impossibility  of  communication  with  the  Department,  con- 
tingencies may  arise  upon  which  you  can  have  no  instruction,  and 
must  be  deferred  to  your  judgment  and  discretion.  In  sueh  cases  you 
will  exercise  great  care  in  forming  your  conclusions  and  in  taking 
action. 

6.  You  will,  in  course  of  cruising,  make  such  examination  of  the 
main  river  channels  and  such  hydrographic  notes  and  establish  such 
astronomical  stations  as  will  enable  you  to  prepare  a  chart  of  your 
cruising  on  the  river  and  its  main  or  principal  tributaries. 

7.  As  opportunity  offers,  without  interfering  with  your  regular 
duties,  the  Department  desires  that  you  collect  specimens  and  data 
relating  to  the  fauna  and  flora  of  Yukon  region;  also  that  you  collect 
reliable  statistics  relating  to  traffic  and  mining  operations  as  far  up 
the  river  as  the  vessel  is  to  go;  also  data  in  regard  to  meteorological 
conditions;  all  to  be  embodied  in  a  report  to  the  Department. 

8.  At  the  close  of  navigation  you  will  select  a  safe  haven  for  the 
winter  and  place  your  command  in  winter  quarters. 

As  the  complement  of  officers  and  men  of  your  command  will  be 
compelled  to  remain  at  least  until  the  summer  of  1900,  they  should,  in 
what  would  otherwise  be  a  season  of  enforced  idleness,  be  kept  busily 
employed,  not  only  for  the  sake  of  health,  but  as  well  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  harmony  and  good  discipline;  therefore  }rou  will  organize  a 
plan  of  operations  covering  an  exploration  of  the  Yukon  country  adja- 
cent to  your  winter  quarters,  collecting  information  and  datu  concern- 
ing features  of  the  country,  habits  and  customs  of  the  native  popula- 
tion, their  condition  as  to  morality,  health,  and  all  features  of  interest, 
the  whole  to  be  embodied  in  the  form  of  a  report  to  the  Department. 


11 

And  in  the  same  connection  to  relieve  and  succor  any  persons  in  actual 
need,  and  to  aid  such  to  reach  civilization  and  help.  If  it  can  be  done 
with  reasonable  promise  of  success,  such  instruction  as  may  be  found 
practicable  should  be  given  to  the  natives.  You  are  particularly 
enjoined  to  cultivate  the  most  amicable  and  friendly  relations  with  the 
native  population  with  whom  }7ou  may  be  thrown  in  contact. 

In  general  terms  the  plan  of  operations  of  your  command,  submitted 
in  jTour  letter  of  the  8th  instant,  is  approved,  and  such  support  and 
encouragement  as  can  be  will  be  given  by  the  Department.  Should 
you  find  that  an}^  of  the  enlisted  force  desire  to  return  at  the  close  of 
navigation  rather  than  remain  through  the  winter,  you  are  authorized 
to  discharge  such;  but  with  the  distinct  understanding  that  they  bear 
their  own  expenses  home,  and  that  their  pay  shall  cease  upon  date  of 
discharge.  You  are  further  authorized  to  arrest  and  detain  deserters 
from  your  crew  until  such  time  as  you  can  replace  them  with  other 
men,  then  to  discharge  them,  with  certificates  of  pay  due,  to  be  pre- 
sented to  the  collector  of  customs  at  Port  Townsend  or  San  Francisco, 
to  be  submitted  by  such  collector  to  the  Department  for  approval. 

Should  officers  become  insubordinate,  you  will  prefer  charges 
against  such,  detach,  and  order  them  to  report  in  person  at  the 
Department. 

9.  In  the  matter  of  pilotage  on  the  Yukon,  you  are  authorized  to 
employ,  at  the  lowest  cost  obtainable,  occasional  pilots.  It  is  expected 
that  yourself  and  officers  will  be  able,  b}^  ordinary  and  well-known 
methods,  to  conduct  the  Nunivak  over  the  most  of  her  cruising  ground, 
but  you  will  on  no  account  jeopardize  the  safety  of  the  vessel  for  the 
lack  of  a  pilot;  in  other  words,  you  are  authorized  to  employ  a  pilot 
when  the  safety  of  your  command  demands  it. 

10.  The  commanding  officer  of  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  service  will 
be  instructed  to  turn  over  to  you  a  steam  launch  for  use  of  your  com- 
mand during  the  open  season  of  navigation. 

11.  The  person  in  charge  of  the  United  States  reindeer  station  at 
St.  Michael  will  be  instructed  to  turn  over  to  you  the  12  reindeer 
asked  for.  You  will  arrange  for  the  care  of  these  animals  as  best  you 
can.  It  is  expected  that  you  will  do  this  with  the  force  of  your  com- 
mand and  at  the  least  possible  expense. 

12.  The  fur  clothing  to  be  supplied  to  your  ship's  company  will  be 
arranged  for  through  the  commanding  officers  of  the  Bear  and  Thetis, 
the  same  to  be  delivered  to  you  at  St.  Michael,  and,  in  view  of  the 
extraordinary  services  required  of  the  vessel,  the  cost  of  said  clothing 
will  not  be  charged  against  the  officers  and  men  this  year. 

13.  You  are  informed  that  Surgeon  Call,  of  the  Bear,  will  join  you 
at  St.  Michael  on  the  return  of  that  vessel  from  the  Arctic.  Should 
you  have  another  surgeon  on  the  Nunivak  at  that  time  }~ou  will  direct 
him  to  report  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  Bear,  relieving  Dr. 
Call. 


12 

14.  Should  officers  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  Fish  Com- 
mission, Steamboat-Inspection  Service,  or  other  accredited  Govern- 
ment officials  apply  to  you  for  passage  on  the  river  or  accommodations 
on  board  while  you  are  in  winter  quarters  you  will  extend  the  same 
to  such,  but  with  the  distinct  understanding  that  neither  yourself  nor 
the  officers  of  your  command  are  to  be  put  to  any  personal  expense 
by  reason  of  their  presence  on  board. 

15.  The  importance  of  making  ample  provision  for  food  supply  for 
your  command  to  last  until  at  least  September,  1900,  or  until  fresh 
supplies  can  be  sent  you,  should  engage  your  serious  consideration, 
and  to  this  end  you  will  consider  the  kind,  quality,  quantity,  and  cost 
of  the  food  you  desire,  whether  in  canned  goods  or  barreled.  It  is 
suggested  that  an  ample  supply  of  canned  vegetables,  sauerkraut  in 
barrels,  if  obtainable,  to  serve  as  antiscorbutics,  are  essential. 

You  are  directed,  upon  your  arrival  at  Seattle,  to  immediately 
ascertain  and  wire  the  Department  the  quantities  of  food  supply  you 
will  require,  not  only  for  yourself,  officers,  and  crew,  but  for  the 
relief  of  emergent  cases  that  may  arise,  stating  the  lowest  cost,  first 
obtaining  proposals,  which  you  will  forward  to  the  Department  by 
mail,  after  the  authority  to  purchase  shall  have  been  given. 

In  submitting  to  the  Department  vouchers  for  the  supplies  which 
you  may  be  hereafter  authorized  to  purchase,  you  will  see  that  the 
same  bear  date  of  July  1  next,  as  the  articles  are  intended  for  use  in 
the  next  fiscal  year.  You  will  be  careful  to  see  that  all  vouchers  are 
properly  prepared,  certified,  and  forwarded  prior  to  the  departure  of 
the  Nunivak  from  Puget  Sound. 

Respectfully,  yours,  O.  L.  Spaulding, 

Assistant  Secretary. 

Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  S., 

Commanding  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak,  San  Francisco,  Col. 


copy  of  orders  of  detachment  from  command  of  u.  s.  s.  nunivak. 

Treasury  Department,  Office  of  the  Secretary, 

Division  of  Revenue- Cutter  Service, 

Washi7igton,  May  3,  1902. 
Sir:  Referring  to  letters,  addressed  to  you  under  this  date,  relative 
to  the  sale  of  the  Nunivak^  or  otherwise  laying  the  vessel  up  at  the 
close  of  the  season,  you  will,  in  either  case,  consider  yourself  detached 
and  proceed  with  the  least  delay  and  by  the  most  direct  route,  or  by 
the  one  entailing  the  least  necessary  expense,  to  your  home  in  San 
Francisco,  Cal.,  announcing  }Tour  arrival  there  by  wire  to  the  Depart- 
ment. You  will  forward  your  extra  baggage  by  some  one  6f  the  ves- 
sels of  the  service;  otherwise  by  freight.     Before  leaving  the  Xmiivak, 


13 

if  the  vessel  is  not  sold,  you  will  arrange  with  the  officer  left  in  charge 
to  have  such  work  done  during  the  winter  months  as  can  be  done  by 
the  force  on  board.  You  will  also  provide  yourself  with  a  complete 
memorandum  of  the  needs  and  requirements  of  the  vessel  if  retained 
to  put  her  in  efficient  state  for  service  in  the  waters  about  St.  Michael 
next  summer,  taking  all  necessary  dimensions  and  making  description 
for  fitments  of  both  hull  and  machinery.  Herewith  are  transmitted 
orders  for  Lieutenants  Camden,  Blake,  and  Wheeler.  Assistant 
Engineer  Lewton,  and  Dr.  White,  which  you  will  deliver  to  those 
affected  when  it  shall  be  determined  who  is  to  remain  in  charge. 
Respectfully, 

O.  L.  Spaulding, 
Assistant  Secretary. 
First  Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  8. , 

Commanding  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak,  St.  Michael,  Alaska. 


copy  of  orders  directing  that  a  report  of  the  operations  of 
the  u.  s.  s.  nunivak,  on  the  yukon  river  station.  be  made. 

Treasury  Department.  Office  of  the  Secretary, 

Washington,  October  2,  1901. 
Sir:  Referring   to  your   telegram  reporting  your  arrival  at  San 
Francisco,  you  are  directed  to  prepare,  as  soon  as  practicable,  a  full 
report  of  the  operations  of  the  Nuniwik  while  under  your  command, 
and  transmit  the  same  to  the  Department. 

While  in  the  performance  of  this  duty  you  will  be  allowed  commu- 
tation for  quarters. 

You  will  acknowledge  the  receipt  hereof  and  advise  the  Department 
of  your  address. 

Respectfully.  O.  L.  Spaulding. 

Acting  Secretary. 
Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  S., 

Care  of  Appraisers'  Building,  San  Francisco,  Col, 

OFFICERS   OF   THE    COMMAND. 

First  Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  S.,  commanding. 

Second  Lieut.  B.  H.  Camden,  R.  C.  S.,  executive  officer 

Third  Lieut.  W.  J.  Wheeler,  R.  C.  S. 

Third  Lieut.  Eugene  Blake,  jr.,  R.  C.  S. 

Assistant  Engineer  H.  N.  Wood,  R.  C.  S. 

Assistant  Engineer  T.  G.  Lewton,  R.  C.  S. 

Surg.  J.  T.  White,  R.  C.  S. 


REPORT 

OF  THE 

OPERATIONS  OF  THE  U.  S.  REVENUE  STEAMER  NtJNIVAK 

ON   THE 

.  YUKON  RIVER  STATION,  ALASKA, 
1 899-1901 


BY 

First  Lieut.  J.  C.  CAXTWELL,  R.  C.  S. 

Commanding. 


5661—03 2  15 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  U.  S.  S.   NUNIVAK. 

Reading  from  the  right  are  First  Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  Second  Lieut.  B.  H.  Camden,  Asst.  Engineer 
T.  G.  Lewton,  Third  Lieut.  W.  J.  Wheeler,  Third  Lieut.  Eugene  Blake,  and  Surgeon  J.  T.  White. 


PAET    I 


NARRATIVE 


17 


UNiVEKSIT 

OF  K 


CHAPTEE   I. 


Prior  to  the  discovery  of  the  rich  deposits  of  gold  along  the  Klondike 
River,  Alaska,  the  entire  business  traffic  of  the  vast  valley  of  the  Yukon 
River  was  conducted  by  two  competing  trading  companies  having  sta- 
tions situated  at  convenient  places  on  the  river,  and  the  supplies  neces- 
sary for  their  maintenance  were  annuallv  delivered  by  means  of  small 
steamers  which  ascended  the  Yukon  from  St.  Michael,  on  the  coast, 
at  which  place  both  companies  maintained  depots  for  the  distribution 
of  goods  received  from  the  outside  in  ocean-going  vessels.  The  white 
population  of  the  Yukon  was  composed  only  of  the  agents  and  traders 
of  the  companies  and  a  few  scattering  prospectors  who,  as  a  rule, 
made  their  way  into  the  country  over  the  Chilkat  or  Chilkoot  passes 
to  the  headwaters  of  the  Yukon,  remained  during  the  short  summer 
season  searching  for  gold,  and  then  drifted  down  the  river  to  take 
passage  on  some  ocean-going  vessel  bound  for  the  States.  A  few  more 
hardy  or  persistent  gold  hunters  would  remain  in  the  country  during 
the  long  winter,  if  they  could  secure  employment,  or  their  stock  of 
supplies  warranted  such  a  step,  but  by  far  the  greater  number  were 
content  to  enter  and  leave  the  country  during  the  summer  season. 

Although  gold  had  been  discovered  in  Alaska  previously  to  the 
Klondike  discovery  in  1897,  notably  so  in  the  vicinity  of  Circle  City 
and  Fortymile  River,  it  was  not  until  that  year  that  the  prospects  of 
rich  diggings  were  sufficiently  good  to  encourage  any  but  the  most 
sanguine  to  undertake  the  journey  into  this  land  of  terrible  cold  and 
unknown  difficulties  and  to  endure  the  hardships  inseparable  from  a 
life  in  this  region  in  the  search  for  the  yellow  metal.  But  the  discov- 
ery of  the  marvelously  rich  deposits  of  gold  in  the  gravel  beds  of  the 
Klondike  and  its  tributary' streams  set  the  world  aflame  with  excite- 
ment. For  upward  of  twenty  years  the  reports  of  the  presence  of 
gold  in  this  region  had  somewhat  prepared  the  public  for  the  news  of 
George  Carmack's  rich  strike  on  the  Klondike;  but  it  is  probable  that 
no  one  foresaw  the  extent  of  the  migration  of  gold  seekers  into  the 
territory  which  followed. 

So  great  was  the  rush  of  people  to  the  newly  discovered  gold  fields 
that  the  trading  companies  found  themselves  utterly  unable  at  first  to 
move  the  immense  amount  of  freight  and  passengers  which  accumu- 
lated as  if  by  magic  at  every  point  on  the  river  and  its  tributaries 

19 


20 

accessible  from  the  outside.  The  excitement  was  so  great  and  the 
desire  on  the  part  of  adventurous  people  to  reach  the  new  Eldorado 
was  so  intense  that  fabulous  sums  were  paid  for  passage  on  the  few 
steamers  at  that  time  available.  To  meet  the  demands  of  this  sudden 
and  overwhelming  increase  of  business  the  managers  of  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  and  the  North  American  Trading  and  Transpor- 
tation Company  utilized  the  vast  resources  of  their  respective  corpora- 
tions with  the  greatest  energy,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  time  each 
company  built  and  equipped  a  new  fleet  of  river  steamers  to  be  oper- 
ated on  the  Yukon  River.  But  the  two  pioneer  companies  were  not 
to  be  left  in  undisturbed  possession  of  the  field.  New  companies  were 
formed  all  over  the  countiy,  and  the  resources  of  the  whole  Pacific 
coast  were  taxed  to  the  utmost  to  supply  steamers  for  service  on  the 
Yukon.  Owing  to  the  entire  lack  of  materials  and  facilities  for  the 
construction  of  vessels  on  the  river  or  at  any  place  on  the  coast  near 
its  mouth,  this  work  had  to  be  done  in  the  States,  and  the  vessels  when 
completed  were  towed  to  St.  Michael  by  ocean  tugs.  Some  of  the 
vessels  were  built  on  the  island  of  Unalaska,  one  of  the  Aleutian  group, 
where  shipyards  were  hastily  made,  but  by  far  the  greater  number 
were  built  at  ports  on  Puget  Sound,  and  even  as  far  south  as  San  Fran- 
cisco new  steamers  were  built,  and  old  ones  which  had  outlived  their 
age  of  usefulness  in  other  fields  were  pressed  into  service,  hastily 
repaired,  and  sent  to  the  Yukon  to  engage  in  the  new  traffic  on  the 
river. 

It  is  but  natural  to  suppose  that  under  the  circumstances  attending 
their  hasty  construction  or  repair  and  the  subsequent  exposure  to  the 
strains  and  injuries  incident  to  a  sea  voyage  of  from  3,000  to  4,000 
miles  many  of  them  would  reach  their  destination  and  attempt  to 
engage  in  traffic  on  the  river  in  very  poor  condition  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  law. 

These  considerations  and  the  fact  that  the  sudden  influx  of  people 
into  the  country  might  bring  about  a  condition  of  disorder  and  misrule 
unless  under  some  form  of  restraint  at  the  hands  of  the  Government, 
induced  the  Treasury  Department  early  in  the  year  1897  to  begin  the 
construction  of  a  vessel  especially  designed  for  duty  as  a  revenue 
cutter  and  patrol  boat  on  the  Yukon  River.  This  vessel  was  finished 
at  San  Francisco  in  1899,  was  christened  Nunivak,  and  on  April  4  of 
that  year  I  had  the  honor  to  be  assigned  to  her  as  commanding  officer. 

DESCRIPTION    OF   THE   NUNIVAK. 

The  Nunivak  is  a  wooden  vessel  of  about  450  tons.  She  is  209  feet 
long,  35  feet  breadth  of  beam,  6  feet  deep,  and  when  loaded  draws  4£ 
feet  of  water.  The  machinery  consists  of  2  tandem  engines'capable  of 
developing  650  horsepower,  and  steam  is  supplied  by  2  locomotive 


21 

boilers  fitted  to  burn  either  wood  or  coal.  Arrangements  are  made  to 
heat  the  vessel  either  by  steam  or  stoves,  and  she  is  lighted  by  elec- 
tricity throughout.  The  maximum  speed  of  the  Nunivah  in  still 
water  is  12  knots  per  hour,  and  her  most  economical  or  ordinary 
cruising  speed  is  about  8  knots  per  hour.  The  quarters  of  the  vessel 
are  situated  on  the  saloon  deck  and  are  designed  to  accommodate  a 
complement  of  7  commissioned  officers,  4  petty  officers  of  the  first 
class,  and  a  crew  of  30  men.  Three  separate  bathrooms  furnish  ample 
means  for  bathing,  and  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  bathtub  in  the 
crew's  quarters  a  lavatory  with  fixed  bowls  and  running  water  is 
installed.  The  superstructure  of  the  vessel,  in  which  the  quarters  are 
arranged,  is  built  of  two  thicknesses  of  l^-inch,  tongued  and  grooved 
redwood,  with  a  2- inch  air  space  between  the  walls  of  the  house.  The 
roof  is  single  and  covered  with  canvas. 

The  armament  of  the  vessel  consisted  of  two  1-pounder  Driggs- 
Schroeder  rapid-fire  rifles,  mounted  on  the  forward  part  of  the 
hurircane  deck,  and  the  usual  assortment  of  small  arms  for  the  equip- 
ment of  the  crew  as  an  infantry  division  for  drill  or  service  on  shore, 

The  greater  part  of  the  month  of  April  was  spent  in  taking  on  board 
the  stores  and  equipment  of  the  vessel  to  fit  her  for  immediate  duty 
upon  arrival  on  her  station;  and  as  at  least  a  year  must  elapse  after 
leaving  St.  Michael  for  the  scene  of  operations  on  the  Yukon  before 
additional  supplies  could  be  received,  the  utmost  care  in  the  selection 
of  the  articles  required  was  observed.  With  the  assistance  of  Lieut. 
F.  M.  Dunwoody,  R.  C.  S.,  who,  as  assistant  constructor  of  the 
Nimivak,  had  previously  prepared  a  list  of  articles  necessary  for  use 
on  the  new  station,  this  material  was  carefully  inspected  and  stored  on 
board,  the  crew  enlisted,  and  preparations  for  the  long  trip  at  sea  made 
with  all  dispatch.  The  officers  who  had  been  assigned  for  duty  on  the 
vessel  arrived  and  reported  for  duty,  and  finally,  on  the  1st  day  of 
May,  1899,  we  dropped  down  San  Francisco  Bay  and  came  to  anchor 
off  Sausalito,  at  which  point  the  U.  S.  S.  Bush  joined  us,  and  the  rest 
of  the  day  was  spent  in  final  preparations  for  sea. 

At  3  o'clock  p.  m.  of  May  2  we  weighed  anchor  and,  in  tow  of  the 
Rush,  stood  down  the  harbor  through  the  Golden  Gate  and  started  on 
our  long  journey  of  more  than  4,000  miles  by  sea  to  St.  Michael. 


CHAPTER  II. 


It  is  doubtful  whether  in  the  history  of  all  marine  enterprises  pre- 
vious to  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Alaska  any  attempt  had  been  made 
to  send  ordinary  river  steamers  across  an  intervening  ocean  to  their 
destination.  The  very  qualities  which  render  such  a  vessel  suitable  for 
river  navigation— viz,  lightness  of  construction  and  shallow  draft — 
would  serve  to  make  the  attempt  one  fraught  with  difficulties  and 
dangers  which  can  hardly  be  overestimated.  Prior  to  the  voyage  of 
the  NuTbivak  some  25  or  30  steamers  of  this  class  had  undertaken  the 
voyage  from  ports  on  Puget  Sound,  and  of  this  number  fully  50  per 
cent  had  either  been  lost  en  route  or  else  had  arrived  at  their  destina- 
tion so  badl}T  injured  as  to  require  extensive  repairs  to  be  made  on 
them  before  they  could  be  operated.  It  should,  then,  be  a  matter  of 
congratulation  with  the  Treasury  Department,  as  it  is  one  of  just 
pride  to  the  officers  who  took  part  in  this  expedition,  that  after  trav- 
ersing over  4,000  miles  of  ocean  navigation,  in  spite  of  gales  of  wind 
and  the  unavoidable  mishaps  incident  to  such  a  voyage,  the  Nunivak 
finally  reached  St.  Michael  practically  ready  for  immediate  duty  and 
in  as  good  condition  as  when  she  left  San  Francisco.  The  Department 
has  already  been  fully  informed  of  the  details  of  this  vo\Tage,  but  a 
brief  resume  of  the  principal  incidents  occurring  on  the  trip  and  a 
general  itinerary  of  the  journey  may  not  be  out  of  place  as  forming  a 
part  of  this  report. 

On  the  day  of  our  departure  from  Sausalito  a  fresh  northwest  wind 
was  blowing,  and  as  we  passed  out  of  the  Golden  Gate  and  turned  into 
Bonita  Channel  an  ugly  cross  sea  was  encountered,  and  even  in  this 
partially  sheltered  situation  the  violent  straining  and  cracking  of  the 
NunivaMs  lightly  constructed  frame  warned  us  to  prepare  for  what 
might  take  place  should  we  be  overtaken  by  any  really  bad  weather. 
We  reached  Point  Reyes  some  ten  hours  after  leaving  port,  and 
rounding  this  headland,  which  had  hitherto  afforded  us  some  protec- 
tion from  the  wind,  we  soon  found  ourselves  tossing  ancf  rolling  in 
the  open  sea.  The  wind,  which  had  been  moderate  at  sunset,  had 
gradually  increased  during  the  night,  until  at  daylight  it  was  blowing 
from  25  to  30  miles  per  hour,  and  the  sea,  while  not  high  enough  to 
interfere  with  the  progress  of  an  ocean-going  vessel,  caused  the  Nuni- 
vak to  snap  and  crack  in  every  joint  and  to  bend  from  stem  to  stern 

23 


24 

in  a  way  to  suggest  all  kinds  of  possibilities.  Iron  hog  chains,  which 
in  this  class  of  vessels  are  used  as  trusses  to  give  support  to  the  hull, 
were  wrung  and  twisted  from  their  fastenings,  and  at  each  impact  of 
the  sea  the  superstructure  would  sway  from  side  to  side  with  such  vio- 
lence that  heavy  beams  were  broken,  molding  and  paneling  disjointed, 
and  the  whole  house  appeared  to  be  in  danger  of  falling  together,  like 
a  house  of  cards. 

From  the  time  of  our  departure  all  hands  had  been  kept  busy  get- 
ting the  vessel  ready  for  sea.  Not  a  moment's  rest  had  been  taken  by 
anyone.  The  engine-room  force,  under  the  direction  of  Assistant 
Engineer  Wood,  was  on  duty  on  the  lower  deck  to  look  out  for  the 
machinery  and  boilers;  the  carpenter  and  men  detailed  to  assist  him 
were  kept  bus}T  making  and  putting  into  position  where  needed  braces 
and  extra  stanchions,  and  the  deck  force,  under  the  direction  of  the 
executive  officer,  Lieutenant  Camden,  was  fully  employed  setting  up 
tackles  in  the  place  of  broken  hog  chains,  renewing  lashings  which  the 
violent  surging  of  the  vessel  had  caused  to  part,  securing  the  boats, 
keeping  the  hawse  clear,  and  a  hundred  similar  duties.  Sleep  for  any- 
one under  the  circumstances  was  out  of  the  question,  and  so  it  was 
with  a  feeling  somewhat  of  dismay  that  I  received  a  report  from  Mr. 
Camden  on  the  afternoon  of  our  first  day  at  sea  that  the  vessel  had 
sprung  a  leak.  I  had  been  hoping  all  day  that  the  wind  and  sea  would 
go  down  toward  night  and  the  crew  could  be  given  a  chance  to  obtain 
some  much  needed  rest;  but  with  this  new  complication  and  a  con- 
tinuance of  the  head  wind  I  felt  certain  that  all  the  work  which  had 
been  previously  done  would  be  but  trifling  when  compared  with  that 
to  be  done  later  if  the  leak  should  prove  to  be  a  serious  one. 
•  An  examination  of  the  hold  of  the  vessel  disclosed  the  fact  that  the 
water  was  coming  in  through  the  seams  of  the  bottom  planking  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  seat  of  the  king-post.  The  violent  motions  of  the  vessel 
as  she  plunged  in  the  sea  simply  made  of  the  king-post  an  immense 
battering  ram,  and  its  downward  thrust  against  the  bottom  planking 
had  so  loosened  them  that  the  water  was  pouring  into  the  vessel  by 
the  barrel. 

The  steam  pumps  were  immediately  brought  into  requisition  and 
for  a  time  successfully  controlled  the  inflow  of  water;  but  the  violent 
motion  of  the  ship  caused  the  steam  pipes  to  break,  and  soon  it  became 
necessary  to  call  the  already  weary  crew  to  the  hand  pumps.  From 
that  time  until  we  reached  the  harbor  of  Eureka,  Cal. ,  on  the  third 
day  from  our  departure  from  San  Francisco,  it  was  simply  a  race 
between  the  men  and  the  sea  as  to  which  would  control  the  vessel. 

From  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  the  first  leak  hardty  an  hour 
passed  that  a  new  one  was  not  reported,  and  by  the  evening  of  the 
second  day  at  sea  the  oakum  in  the  sides  from  the  stem  to'a  distance 
of  40  feet  aft  on  each  side  was  all  loose,  and  in  some  cases  entirely 


25 

spewed  out  of  the  seams,  leaving  openings  through  which  the  water 
poured  in  cataracts  into  the  vessel. 

Meanwhile  constant  reports  of  our  condition  were  signaled  to  the 
commanding  officer  of  the  Bush,  and  by  a  judicious  handling  of  his 
ship  and  the  free  use  of  oil  to  smooth  the  sea  before  it  reached  the 
JVunivak  he  did  all  that  could  be  done  to  protect  us  from  further 
injury.  It  was  m}"  earnest  desire  to  get  the  vessel  through  to  Seattle, 
where  arrangements  had  been  made  to  take  on  some  additional  sup- 
plies, with  as  little  delay  as  possible,  but  on  the  morning  of  the  third 
day  at  sea  one  leg  of  the  towing  bridle  parted  and  a  delay  of  three 
hours  was  necessary  to  repair  the  damage,  during  which  time  we 
floated  in  the  trough  of  the  sea.  The  leaks  in  the  meanwhile  were 
constantly  increasing.  At  6  o'clock  p.  m.  the  steel  towing  hawser  was 
found  to  be  stranded,  but  as  the  wind  showed  no  signs  of  abatement 
and  it  was  impossible  for  the  men  to  hold  out  much  longer  at  the 
pumps,  I  signaled  the  Bush  that  the  leaks  were  gaining  on  us  and 
advised  the  commanding  officer  to  make  for  the  nearest  port,  where 
temporary  repairs  could  be  made  to  the  JVunivak  before  proceeding 
farther.  After  a  brief  consultation  it  was  decided  to  make  for  Eureka, 
Cal.  The  course  of  the  vessels  was  therefore  changed,  and  we  ran  off 
before  the  wind  and  sea  for  that  port.  At  this  time  there  was  about 
12  inches  of  water  in  the  hold  of  the  Nunivak.  As  there  were  no 
athwartship  bulkheads  in  the  hold,  this  immense  volume  of  water 
rolled  back  and  forth  the  whole  length  of  the  vessel  each  time  she  rose 
and  fell  on  the  sea,  threatening  at  each  scend  either  to  tear  out  the 
decks  or  by  its  overwhelming  weight  to  cause  the  vessel  to  "turn 
turtle"  or  capsize.  All  night  the  weary  men  toiled  at  the  pumps  and 
were  encouraged  by  the  officers,  who  themselves  took  turns  to  relieve 
the  nearly  exhausted  crew.  In  spite  of  their  utmost  endeavors,  how- 
ever, the  water  steadily  gained,  and  it  was  therefore  with  a  feeling  of 
intense  relief,  at  daylight  next  morning,  that  1  recognized  the  land- 
marks in  the  vicinity  of  Eureka  and  knew  that,  barring  amT  further 
accidents,  we  would  shortly  be  in  port.  Just  as  we  were  about  to  turn 
in  for  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  the  towing  hawser  carried  away  on 
the  Rush*  and  while  it  was  being  repaired  the  Nunivak  again  fell  off 
into  the  trough  of  the  sea.  The  water  had  now  reached  a  depth  of  21 
inches  in  the  hold,  and  I  feared  that  at  the  very  last  moment,  with  the 
harbor  in  sight,  we  would  be  compelled  to  abandon  her.  Finally, 
however,  the  broken  hawser  was  repaired,  the  Bush  once  more  steamed 
ahead,  slowly  at  first  to  test  the  repaired  hawser,  and  then  at  full 
speed  in  over  the  bar.  In  half  an  hour  we  were  safely  anchored  over 
a  convenient  mud  flat,  but  so  exhausted  were  the  crews  of  both  the 
Nunivak  and  Bush  that  signals  of  distress  were  set,  and  in  answer  to 
them  the  crew  of  the  life-saving  station  at  this  place  came  on  board 
and  manned  our  pumps,  and  by  their  assistance  the  water  was  kept 

5661—03 3 


26 

down  until  the  steam  pumps  could  be  got  working  again  and  the  hold 
pumped  out. 

The  Department  was  immediately  informed  by  telegraph  of  the 
condition  of  the  Nunivak,  and  orders  were  received  to  haul  the  vessel 
out  at  Eureka,  make  necessary  repairs,  and  proceed  to  Seattle.  This 
was  accordingly  done.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  there  was  no  marine 
railway  at  Eureka  large  enough  to  accommodate  the  Nimivak,  she 
was  put  on  the  beach  at  high  water,  and,  by  ''working  tides,"  the  side 
seams  were  calked  and  covered  with  2^-inch  battens  to  hold  the  oakum 
in  place;  but  it  was  obviously  impossible  to  examine  or  repair  the 
vessel's  bottom  until  she  could  be  hauled  out.  New  hogchains  were 
fitted,  the  towing  apparatus  overhauled  and  improved,  and  such  repairs 
to  the  woodwork  as  could  be  done  here  were  completed,  and  on  May 
19  we  left  port  and  again  set  our  course  to  northward  along  the  coast. 
The  weather  was  fine  and  the  sea  smooth  when  we  crossed  Eureka 
Bar,  and  both  continued  so  until  our  arrival  at  Seattle,  on  May  24. 

Upon  reaching  this  point  orders  were  received  from  the  Depart- 
ment to  have  the  Nunivak  docked  at  Quartermasters  Harbor  for  the 
purpose  of  making  necessary  repairs  to  the  bottom.  We  accordingly 
proceeded  to  that  place  in  tow  of  the  Bush,  and  were  hauled  out  on 
the  29th  of  May.  An  examination  of  the  vessel's  bottom  disclosed 
the  fact  that,  with  the  exception  of  those  planks  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  seat  of  the  king-post,  the  bottom  of  the  vessel  was  in 
good  condition  and  the  seams  intact.  It  was  therefore  decided  to  calk 
the  seams  where  the  oakum  had  been  worked  out,  and  to  sheathe  the 
bottom  of  the  vessel  with  half -inch  spruce  lumber  in  order  to  prevent 
the  oakum  from  being  forced  out,  and  to  strengthen  the  frame  by  the 
addition  of  heavy  assistant  keelsons  placed  amidships,  and  in  such  a 
position  as  to  take  up  the  downward  thrust  of  the  king-post.  This 
work  was  all  done  in  the  most  satisfactory  manner,  and  on  the  2d  of 
June  we  returned  to  Seattle. 

Meanwhile  arrangements  had  been  rapidly  made  for  taking  on  board 
the  additional  supplies  which  the  Department  had  ordered  to  be  pur- 
chased at  Seattle.  The  ordinary  service  ration  not  being  deemed  suit- 
able in  all  particulars  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  new  station,  a 
special  ration  was  authorized,  the  component  parts  of  which  are 
given  in  another  part  of  this  report.  While  the  repairs  were  being 
made  on  the  vessel  at  Quartermasters  Harbor,  the  officer  having 
immediate  supervision  of  the  rations  and  supplies  for  the  ship's  equip- 
ment remained  at  Seattle  to  inspect  these  stores,  and  upon  the  return 
of  the  vessel  everything  was  in  readiness  for  delivery.  Owing  to  an 
injury  received  on  the  voyage  up  the  coast  by  Third  Lieutenant  Mead, 
it  was  found  necessary  at  this  time  to  send  him  to  the  hospital  at  Port 
Townsend  for  treatment.     Much  to  his  regret  and  mj^  own,  his  condi- 


27 

tion  was  found  to  be  such  that  his  detachment  became  necessary. 
Lieut.  Eugene  Blake,  jr.,  R.  C.  S.,  who,  among  others,  had  volun- 
teered to  take  Mead's  place,  was  assigned  to  the  duty. 

Final  arrangements  having  been  completed,  the  Rush  once  more  took 
us  in  tow,  and  on  the  10th  of  June  we  left  Seattle  and  sailed  for  Port 
Townsend,  arriving  at  that  place  on  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day. 

Upon  our  arrival  at  Port  Townsend,  Assistant  Engineer  Wood  and 
the  cabin  steward  were  taken  sick,  and  it  was  found  necessary  to  send 
them  on  shore  for  treatment  at  the  marine  hospital.  Mr.  Wood's 
illness  required  a  slight  operation  to  be  performed,  which  would 
confine  him  to  his  bed  for  a  few  days,  but  as  we  had  decided  to  touch 
at  Sitka  on  the  way  north,  and  the  mail  steamer  would  undoubtedly 
overtake  us  there,  Assistant  Engineer  Maxwell,  of  the  Rush,  was 
assigned  to  temporary  duty  on  the  Xunivak  to  relieve  Mr.  Wood,  and 
the  latter  officer  was  directed  to  rejoin  us  at  Sitka  if  his  condition  was 
such  as  to  warrant  him  in  continuing  with  the  party. 

On  June  13  we  left  Port  Townsend  and  proceeded  on  our  voyage 
via  the  inland  passage  along  the  coast  of  British  Columbia  and  south- 
eastern Alaska  toward  Sitka.  Magnificent  weather  was  experienced 
on  the  journey  up  the  coast,  and,  after  a  delay  of  a  couple  of  da}-s  at 
Comax  to  take  on  a  supply  of  coal,  we  proceeded  on  our  way  and 
reached  Sitka  on  the  evening  of  June  22. 

At  several  places  on  the  way  up  to  this  point  enough  rough  water 
had  been  encountered  to  prove  to  us  that  the  repairs  put  on  the  vessel 
had  greatly  improved  her  seaworthiness.  The  sheathing  on  her  bot- 
tom and  sides  and  the  addition  of  the  heavy  timbers  along  her  keelson 
had  so  stiffened  the  whole  hull  that  very  little  movement  could  now 
be  observed  in  the  superstructure,  even  when  the  vessel  was  exposed 
to  a  moderately  heavy  sea.  This  fact  no  doubt  tended  to  allay  any 
feeling  of  uneasiness  which  may  have  previous^  existed  as  to  the 
chances  of  our  being  able  to  finish  the  voyage  in  safety,  and  from  this 
time  on  matters  of  routine  duty  on  board  were  attended  to  with  the 
same  regularity  as  is  observed  on  any  vessel  of  the  Service.  Assistant 
Engineer  Wood  rejoined  the  JVunivak  at  Sitka,  and  Mr.  Maxwell 
returned  to  the  Rush. 

After  a  short  stop  at  Sitka  to  obtain  a  supply  of  fresh  water,  we 
left  that  place  on  the  morning  of  June  25  and  shaped  our  course  for 
the  island  of  Kadiak.  The  weather  again  favored  us,  and  we  crossed 
the  dangerous  stretch  of  sea  lying  between  Baranof  Island  and  Kadiak, 
a  distance  of  700  miles,  in  five  days  without  having  experienced  any- 
thing more  serious  than  a  passing  rain  squall  during  the  passage.  The 
high  land  of  Kadiak  Island  was  made  out  ahead  on  the  evening  of  June 
29,  and  next  morning  at  daylight  we  entered  the  harbor  of  St.  Paul 
and  came  to  anchor. 


28 

Notwithstanding  the  smooth  condition  of  the  sea,  the  vessel  pounded 
considerably  during  the  run  from  Sitka  to  Kadiak  and  a  slight  leak 
made  itself  manifest  in  the  forward  part  of  the  hull.  At  the  sugges- 
tion of  Mr.  Wood  the  forward  compartment  of  the  hold  was  filled 
with  coal,  with  the  idea  that  this  would  decrease  the  vibration  of  the 
hull.  The  novel  idea  worked  admirably  and  we  had  no  further  diffi- 
culty in  this  direction. 

After  renewing  our  supply  of  fresh  water  at  St.  Paul,  the  weather 
continuing  to  be  fine,  we  left  port  on  the  1st  of  July,  and  choosing  the 
outside  route  around  the  island,  in  order  to  save  time  and  avoid  any 
possible  delay  on  account  of  f  ogg}'  weather,  we  stood  to  the  westward, 
along  the  south  coast  of  Kadiak,  at  a  good  rate  of  speed,  with  every- 
thing in  excellent  working  condition.  The  Samedis,  a  group  of  rug- 
ged, treeless,  and  generally  fog-drenched  islets,  tying  some  90  miles 
west  of  Kadiak,  were  passed  at  8  p.  m.  of  July  2,  and,  shaping  our 
course  thence  more  to  the  northward,  we  entered  the  sheltered  passages 
of  navigable  water  lying  between  the  Shumagin  Islands  and  the  main- 
land of  the  Alaskan  Peninsula.  In  this  locality  fogs  are  of  frequent 
occurrence  during  the  summer  season,  and  strong  tidal  currents  make 
navigation  through  the  narrow  straits  and  intricate  passages  extremely 
dangerous  unless  one  is  well  acquainted  with  the  grounds.  Long  serv- 
ice in  these  waters,  however,  has  familiarized  most  of  our  officers  with 
the  dangers,  and  although  we  experienced  the  usual  amount  of  foggy 
weather  our  progress  was  not  delayed,  and  we  reached  the  vicinity  of 
Unimak  Pass  on  the  evening  of  June  4  without  an}^  mishap. 

We  lay  to  off  the  pass  during  the  night,  and  at  8  a.  m.  of  the  5th  of 
June  entered  Bering  Sea  and  stood  to  the  westward  along  the  north 
coast  of  the  Aleutian  Islands. 

The  scenery  in  this  portion  of  our  Alaskan  possessions  is  grand  and 
awe-inspiring.  Westward  from  Kadiak  Island  all  signs  of  growing 
timber  disappear,  and  the  traveler  is  confronted  with  a  frowning  bar- 
rier of  towering  cliffs  worn  and  splintered  by  ages  of  erosion,  against 
which  the  whole  force  of  the  Pacific  ocean  is  hurled  in  constant  war- 
fare. The  long  green  swells  of  the  ocean  beat  themselves  into  tatters 
of  lace-like  foam  against  the  grim  face  of  the  ironbound  coast,  and  at 
first  it  would  seem  to  be  a  hopeless  struggle  on  the  part  of  the  sea; 
but  a  little  examination  of  the  coast  line  will  show  where  great  breaches 
have  been  made  in  the  apparently  impregnable  walls.  Here  deep 
caverns  have  been  carved  out  of  the  cliffs,  and  there  whole  miles  of 
softer  material  have  given  way  before  the  tremendous  assaults  which 
have  been  made  upon  it  and  has  been  sucked  down  into  the  hungry 
maw  of  the  ocean.  Pinnacles  and  cathedral- like  masses  of  more  endur- 
ing rock  now  and  then  stand  out  a  mile  or  more  from  the  mainland,  of 
which  they  once  formed  a  part — grim  remnants  of  a  once  s<»>Iid  mass  of 


29 

earth  which  is  being1  slowly  but  surely  destroyed  by  its  persistent  and 
relentless  enemy,  the  sea. 

These  outlying  rocks  are  again  attacked  by  shattering  frosts,  and 
flaying  winds,  and  beating  rains  until  at  last,  worn  out  and  conquered, 
they  sink  beneath  the  waves.  It  is  such  sunken  rocks  and  ledges  that 
form  the  most  dangerous  obstacles  to  navigation,  and  in  this  region  of 
sudden  gales,  of  blinding  sleet  and  snow,  and  dense  fogs,  where  the 
best  charts  as  yet  made  are  not  to  be  relied  upon,  where  the  Govern- 
ment has  not  yet  extended  its  system  of  aids  to  navigation  in  the 
form  of  light-houses,  fog  signals,  beacons,  and  buo}Ts,  and  where  the 
water  is  so  deep  right  up  to  the  shore  as  to  make  the  use  of  the  hand 
lead  of  no  account,  it  is  little  wonder  that  this  coast  is  approached 
with  dread  by  the  seaman,  and  that  with  each  year's  neglect  the 
demand  that  Government  aid  shall  be  extended  to  this  region  should 
be  more  urgent. 

Back  of  the  abrupt  shore  line  the  land  extends  upward  in  long  curves 
to  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  which  trend  in  a  general  east  and  west 
direction.  The  treeless  slopes  are  covered  with  a  mantle  of  grasses, 
mosses,  and  flowering  plants,  while  here  and  there  in  shelterad  valleys 
along  the  course  of  streams,  areas  of  dark-green  foliage  mark  the 
places  where  thickets  of  dwarf  willow  and  alder  have  taken  root  and 
grown.  At  frequent  intervals  the  sky  line  is  broken  by  the  upheaved 
mass  of  extinct  or  active  volcanoes.  Eruptions  from  some  of  the  latter 
are  of  periodic  occurrence,  presenting  at  such  times  a  magnificent 
spectacle.  The  earth  trembles,  the  sea  is  disturbed  for  a  long  dis- 
tance, and  the  surface  of  both  land  and  sea  is  covered  with  a  fine, 
impalpable  dust,  which  is  so  light  that  it  will  float  for  days  upon  the 
water  and  hang  suspended  in  the  air  like  a  dense  cloud  until  it  is  grad- 
ually dissipated  by  the  wind.  At  the  present  time  the  most  active 
volcano  of  the  Aleutian  group  is  Akutan  volcano,  situated  on  the 
island  of  Akutan,  which  lies  to  the  westward  of  Unimak  Pass.  This 
volcano  is  from  3,500  to  4,000  feet  high  and  has  a  well-defined  crater, 
from  which,  during  its  periods  of  activity,  a  ruby-red  column  of  flame 
is  projected  into  the  air  to  a  height  of  1,500  or  2,000  feet,  when  it 
expands  into  a  vast  mushroom-shaped  cloud,  from  the  purple  depths 
of  which  a  glowing  shower  of  ashes  and  volcanic  tufa  falls  slowly  back 
to  the  earth.  But  magnificent  as  Akutan  may  be  when  in  a  state  of 
eruption,  in  point  of  beauty  it  can  not  be  compared  with  its  near 
neighbor,  Mount  Shishaldin,  which  is  situated  on  the  western  end  of 
Unimak  Island.  This  beautiful  peak  rises  in  the  form  of  an  almost 
perfect  cone  to  a  height  of  over  8,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
The  original  formation  of  the  crater  has  never  been  marred  by  the 
breaking  down  of  its  walls,  and  as  its  upper  portion  is  snow-covered 
during  the  entire  year  it  presents  to  the  e}Te  a  picture  of  serene  beauty 


30 

and  ineffable  purit}^  which  lingers  in  the  memory  and  preserves  its 
charm  long  after  the  recollection  of  scenes  of  greater  grandeur  per- 
haps have  faded  from  the  mind. 

Almost  immediately  after  entering  Bering  Sea  the  fog  was  left 
behind  and  the  view  of  the  adjacent  islands,  bathed  in  brilliant  sunshine, 
was  grand  beyond  description.  Westward  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach  a  succession  of  tremendous  granite  and  basalt  cliffs  rose  in  almost 
perpendicular  masses  to  a  height  of  a  thousand  feet  or  more  from  the 
sea,  and  from  their  tops  cascades  of  melted  snow-water  plunged  down- 
ward over  their  rugged,  frost-riven  faces,  and  were  torn  into  ribbons 
of  foam  by  projecting  rocks  and  finally  disappeared  in  diaphanous 
veils  of  rainbow  mist  long  before  reaching  the  bottom.  The  character 
of  the  vegetation  on  the  northern  side  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  is  so 
different  from  that  on  the  southern  side  as  to  attract  immediate  atten- 
tion, and  it  can  be  easily  explained.  The  Kuro  Shiro,  or  Japanese 
warm  current,  sweeps  eastward  along  the  whole  length  of  the  Aleutian 
chain,  and  is  at  no  place  more  than  30  or  40  miles  distant  froin  its 
shores'  The  influence  of  this  warm  current  so  tempers  the  climate  of 
the  southern  side  of  the  islands  as  to  produce  a  luxuriant  growth  of 
vegetation  here,  while  on  their  northern  sides,  exposed  to  the  blight- 
ing influence  of  arctic  winds  and  temperatures,  none  but  the  hardiest 
plants  survive.  Occasionally,  in  sheltered  spots,  especially  so  in 
valleys  having  a  southern  exposure,  the  eye  is  gladdened  by  the  sight 
of  green,  meadow-like  swales  of  grasses  and  low  shrubbery,  but  gener- 
ally speaking  the  undulant  hills  are  covered  with  a  thick  mantle  of 
moss  and  cryptogramic  plants,  and  in  every  nook  and  cranny  of  the 
cliffs  beautiful  lichens  paint  the  somber  rocks  with  splashes  of  brilliant 
green  and  yellow  color. 

Approaching  Unalaska  Island  from  the  eastward  the  view  is  pictur- 
esque in  the  extreme.  Vast  reaches  of  bare  rock  slopes  rise  in  precip- 
itous masses  from  the  sea  to  a  height  of  1,500  to  2,000  feet,  and  the 
shore  line  is  girt  by  a  fringe  of  rugged  bowlders  over  which  the  surf 
breaks  and  roars  in  never-ending  fury.  The  shore  of  the  island  is 
indented  by  many  deep  bays  or  fiords,  and  at  the  head  of  one  of  these 
the  old  native  settlement  of  Illiluik  is  situated.  Early  on  the  morning 
of  June  6  we  entered  this  beautiful  bay,  and  after  an  hour's  run  came 
to  anchor  off  the  trading  station  of  the  North  American  Commercial 
Company  at  Dutch  Harbor. 

Ever  since  the  acquisition  of  the  Territory  of  Alaska  by  the  United 
States  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  has  maintained  at  Illiluik  a 
post  for  the  distribution  of  supplies  to  the  numerous  substations  con- 
trolled by  the  company  at  various  other  points  among  the  Aleutian 
Islands,  and  to  gather  the  furs  purchased  from  the  natives  for  ship- 
ment to  the  outside  world.     The  station  is  still  maintained,  but  its 


DUTCH  HARBOR.  UNALASKA  ISLAND,.  COALING  STATION  FOR  VESSELS  OF  THE  REVENUE 
CUTTER  SERVICE  IN  BERING  SEA. 


ARCH  ROCK  IN  CAPTAINS  HARBOR,  UNALASKA  ISLAND. 


VIEW   OF  SHIPBUILDING   YARD   IN   CAPTAINS   HARBOR,    UNALASKA   ISLAND. 


ENTRANCE  TO  CAPTAINS   HARBOR,    UNALASKA   ISLAND. 


31 

importance  has  steadily  diminished  owing  to  the  decadence  of  the  fur 
trade  in  the  islands.  Many  of  the  smaller  and  more  remote  stations 
have  been  abandoned  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  game,  and  the  native 
hunters,  with  their  families,  have  been  removed  by  the  company  to 
more  favorable  localities  where  the  struggle  for  existence,  always 
hard  for  these  people,  can  be  carried  on  under  better  conditions.  In 
spite  of  this  fostering  care,  however,  the  natives  are  decreasing  in 
numbers,  and  soon  the  devastating  march  of  progress  will  surely 
crush  them  out  of  existence. 

In  the  yesir  18T0  the  lease  of  the  Fur  Seal  Islands  by  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  expired  by  limitation,  and  a  new  corporation, 
entitled  "The  North  American  Commercial  Company,"  secured  the 
franchise  from  the  Government.  A  station  at  Dutch  Harbor,  which  is 
not  over  half  a  mile  from  Illiluik  village,  was  built  by  the  new  com- 
pany. Warehouses,  a  store,  agent's  dwelling,  a  clubhouse,  and  a 
commodious  wharf  with  excellent  facilities  for  coaling  the  largest  class 
of  vessel  were  erected  during  the  first  year  of  occupancy,  and  later  on, 
when  the  rush  of  people  to  the  gold  fields  of  Alaska  took  place,  a  large 
hotel  with  ample  accommodation  for  the  traveling  public  was  added 
to  the  plant. 

The  company  has  also  laid  pipes  to  a  small  lake  near  at  hand  and 
installed  a  system  of  waterworks  whereby  the  houses  at  the  station 
and  ships  at  the  wharf  are  supplied  at  all  times  with  an  abundance  of 
fresh  water.  Both  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  and  the  North 
American  Commercial  Company  keep  on  hand  an  ample  supply  of 
coal,  and  vessels  bound  into  Bering  Sea  or  the  Arctic  Ocean  usually 
call  in  at  Unalaska  to  renew  their  supply  of  coal  and  water. 

The  stores  of  both  the  companies  are  kept  well  supplied  with  the 
class  of  goods  likely  to  be  in  demand  in  this  locality,  and  the  prices 
of  articles  are  but  little  in  excess  of  those  asked  for  similar  articles 
in  the  States.  Live  beef  cattle  and  sheep  are  brought  up  in  the 
spring  of  the  year  and  turned  out  on  the  island  to  graze.  A  supply 
of  fresh  meat  is  thus  assured  for  the  summer  months  at  least.  A 
small  herd  of  cattle  has  been  for  several  }7ears  kept  throughout  the 
year  on  the  island,  but  it  is  necessary  to  house  them  during  some  part 
of  the  winter  months.  Attempts  have  been  made  to  raise  vegetables 
here,  but  with  the  exception  of  a  few  radishes  and  a  limited  quantity 
of  lettuce  which  arrived  at  maturity  the  experiment  has  not  been  alto- 
gether successful.  This  partial  failure  is  not  due,  in  my  opinion,  to  the 
adverse  climatic  conditions  so  much  as  it  is  to  the  lack  of  proper  prep- 
aration of  the  soil.  The  large  amount  of  volcanic  gravel  and  ash 
which  is  mixed  with  the  soil  should  be  first  removed.  But  this  is  a 
tedious  process,  and  has  probably  been  the  means  of  discouraging  any 
extensive  attempts  at  gardening.  During  the  early  spring  and  sum- 
mer months  the  hills  and  mountain  sides  in  the  interior  of  Unalaska 

5661—03 1 


32 

Island  are  covered  with  a  profusion  of  wild  flowers.  In  the  fall  sev- 
eral varieties  of  edible  berries  are  gathered  and  sold  by  the  native 
children,  and  some  of  these  berries  are  fully  equal  if  not  superior  in 
flavor  to  the  cultivated  fruit. 

Codfish,  salmon,  salmon  trout,  herring,  and  several  other  varieties 
of  fish  abound  in  the  waters  surrounding  the  island  and  in  the  hundreds 
of  small  snow-fed  mountain  streams.  The  natives  each  year  secure 
large  quantities  of  salmon  and  dry  it  for  winter  use;  but  the  valuable 
codfish  banks  adjacent  to  the  island  have  not  as  yet  been  utilized  as  a 
source  of  food  supply  by  either  the  white  or  native  inhabitants  to 
any  appreciable  extent. 

After  renewing  her  supply  of  coal  and  water  the  Bush  once  more 
took  the  Nunivak  in  tow  and  with  a  hearty  Godspeed  from  our 
friends  on  shore  we  left  Dutch  Harbor  on  the  morning  of  July  8,  and 
rounding  Ulachta  Head  we  stood  out  into  Bering  Sea.  The  day  was 
line  and  the  sea  smooth  and  soon  we  passed  Cape  Cheerful,  a  remark- 
able promontory  which  serves  as  a  landmark  for  the  navigator  bound 
for  Unalaska,  and  taking  this  as  a  point  of  departure  our  course  was 
shaped  northward  for  our  port  of  final  destination,  St.  Michael. 

The  auspicious  conditions  of  our  departure  encouraged  us  in  the 
hope  that  the  pleasant  weather  would  last  long  enough  to  enable  us  to 
cross  Bering  Sea,  for,  with  the  exception  of  the  harbors  in  the  Aleutian 
Islands,  which  we  were  now  leaving  behind  us,  there  is  no  other  safe 
anchorage  for  vessels  like  the  Nunivak  short  of  St.  Michael,  a  distance 
of  800  miles.  The  good  weather  continued  to  favor  us  for  two  days, 
and  we  made  fine  progress  until  the  vicinity  of  Nunivak  Island  was 
reached.  Here  a  strong  northeast  wind  and  a  heavy  head  sea  was 
encountered.  Since  leaving  Unalaska  the  sea  had  been  as  smooth  as  a 
mill  pond;  but  under  the  influence  of  the  northeast  wind  it  soon  rose 
and  we  found  ourselves  pitching  and  plunging  in  a  way  to  cause  the 
Nunivak  to  creak  and  groan  in  every  timber.  The  short  violent  sea 
had  no  apparent  effect  on  the  Bash  other  than  to  cause  her  to  roll  a 
trifle  more  than  usual,  and  her  speed  was  undiminished.  Finding  that 
our  progress  through  the  rough  water  was  too  rapid,  signals  were  made 
to  the  Bush  to  slow  down.  The  request  was  immediately  granted  and 
the  strain  to  which  we  had  been  subjected  was  at  once  relieved.  Dur- 
ing the  day  it  became  necessary  to  again  resort  to  the  use  of  oil  to 
calm  the  sea  and  prevent  it  from  breaking  over  the  Nunivak,  but 
toward  night  the  wind  decreased  in  force  and  the  sea  subsided  so  much 
that  full  speed  was  once  more  ordered  and  we  proceeded  on  our  way. 

At  8  a.  m.  of  July  12  land  was  made  out  a  long  distance  away  on 
the  starboard  bow.  By  noon  we  recognized  it  as  Cape  Romanzov,  a 
bold  headland  near  the  coast,  which  is  the  western  termination  of  a 
short  range  of  mountains  forming  the  southern  limit  of   the  flood 


55  °     5 


I-  z 
z  o 
<  C 


CAUJS 


33 

plain  of  the  Yukon  River  delta.  The  Sand  Islands,  lying  5  miles  north- 
eastward from  Cape  Romanzov,  were  raised  about  2  p.  m.,  and  our 
course  was  altered  slightly  to  the  westward  so  as  to  clear  the  dangerous 
shoals  known  as  the  Yukon  Flats.  Toward  night  we  lost  sight  of  the 
land  again,  but  our  position  off  the  mouth  of  the  mighty  Yukon  could 
be  easily  determined  by  the  muddy,  discolored  water  through  which 
we  were  now  steaming.  Occasionally  we  passed  pieces  of  driftwood 
floating  off  to  sea  from  the  river,  and  this  showed  us  that  we  were 
nearing  our  journey's  end.  The  day-  had  been  an  exceptionally  fine  one 
throughout,  and  our  progress  northward  proportionately  good.  The 
short  summer  night  fell  gently  around  us,  the  stars  came  out  and  hung 
like  myriads  of  brilliant  lamps  in  a  sky  that  was  free  from  clouds,  and 
every  sign  betokened  a  continuance  of  good  weather.  But  toward 
morning  the  wind  freshened  from  the  southeast,  and  by  8  a.  m.  of 
July  13  a  dense  fog  settled  down,  and  so  completely  enveloped  us  that 
the  Bush  was  almost  invisible.  It  was  only  as  she  rose  and  fell  on  the 
sea  that  we  now  and  then  caught  a  glimse  of  her  wet  and  streaming 
decks,  or  a  flash  of  phosphorescent  foam  from  her  churning  wheel 
gleamed  fitfully  like  a  monster  firefly  from  out  of  the  murky  waste  of 
waters.  All  the  forenoon  we  forged  slowty  ahead,  with  the  fog 
whistles  of  both  vessels  sounding  a  dismal  b-1-a-a-a-t  of  warning 
at  intervals  and  with  frequent  stops  to  cast  the  lead  and  ascertain 
the  depth  of  water.  Finally  at  noon  we  ran  out  of  the  yellowish, 
roily  water  which  discolors  the  sea  off  the  Yukon  Flats,  and  the  sea 
took  on  a  light  olivaceous-green  color,  and  although  nothing  could  be 
seen  of  land  we  knew  it  was  not  far  away.  The  Bush  slowed  down 
until  our  progress  through  the  water  was  scarcely  perceptible.  The 
fog  whistles  were  sounded  frequently  and  the  hand  lead  was  now  going 
constant^.  Every  e\re  was  strained  to  pierce  the  veil  of  mist  which 
hung  over  the  sea,  when  suddenly  as  if  raised  by  some  invisible  hand, 
the  dense  curtain  of  fog  was  lifted,  and  we  saw  before  us  at  a  distance 
of  not  over  2  miles  a  long  line  of  white  surf  fringing  a  rock-strewn 
beach,  and  back  of  that,  as  the  fog  lifted,  the  undulant  tundra  plains, 
treeless,  desolate,  and  drenched  with  flying  clouds  of  mist,  which  we 
recognized  as  a  portion  of  the  coast  between  Tapkok  Head  and  Golof  nin 
Bay.  The  gulches  were  still  filled  with  snow,  and  along  the  beach  were 
strewn  masses  of  sea  ice  which  the  summer  sun  had  as  yet  failed  to 
melt.  We  steamed  along  the  land  to  the  eastward  until  Rocky  Cape 
was  reached  and  taking  our  departure  from  this  well-known  landmark, 
although  the  fog  still  continued,  we  shaped  our  course  with  confidence 
across  Norton  Sound  for  St.  Michael. 

The  southeast  wind  increased  during  the  afternoon,  and  the  sea  rose 
rapidly  as  it  always  does  in  this  vicinity,  but  our  course  to  the  east- 
ward soon  brought   us  into  the  comparatively  sheltered  waters   of 


34 

Norton  Bay,  and  our  progress  from  this  time  until  reaching  port  was 
unhindered. 

At  midnight  of  July  14  we  entered  the  harbor  of  St.  Michael  and 
came  to  anchor.  In  more  ways  than  one  the  voyage  of  over  4,000 
miles  had  been  a  remarkable  one.  With  the  exception  of  the  bad 
weather  encountered  during  the  first  three  days  after  our  departure 
from  San  Francisco,  and  one  day  of  storm  off  Nunivak  Island,  the 
conditions  of  the  sea  and  wind  during  the  entire  trip  could  hardly  have 
been  improved.  No  injury  had  been  sustained  that  could  not  be  easily 
repaired  on  board  by  the  ship's  force,  and  it  now  only  remained  for  us 
to  assemble  the  machinery  and  take  on  board  our  supply  of  fuel  to  be 
ready  for  immediate  duty. 


CHAPTER  III. 


A  week  after  our  arrival  at  St.  Michael  the  U.  S.  S.  Corwin  came 
into  port  with  a  barge  in  tow  which  was  intended  to  be  used  as  a  coal 
tender  by  the  Nvftk  ivak.  The  Corwin  had  experienced  bad  weather  on 
the  way  up  from  Port  Townsend,  and  upon  reaching  port  the  barge 
was  so  badly  injured  that  a  board  of  officers,  convened  for  the  purpose 
of  ascertaining  the  extent  of  the  injuries  which  had  been  received, 
reported  that  it  would  not  be  possible  to  use  the  barge  for  the  trans- 
portation of  coal  until  extensive  repairs  were  made.  This  would 
necessitate  hauling  out  the  barge  on  the  beach.  Upon  receipt  of  this 
report  I  asked  for  bids  to  do  the  work  from  the  agents  of  the  local 
trading  companies.  The  lowest  bid  I  received  was  so  much  in  excess 
of  the  amount  which  I  deemed  fair  and  reasonable  for  the  performance 
of  the  work  required  that  I  deemed  it  my  duty  to  reject  all  of  the 
proposals,  and,  pending  further  orders  from  the  Department,  to  make 
other  arrangements  for  supplying  the  Nunivak  with  fuel. 

Meanwhile  the  necessary  work  of  getting  the  Xunivak  ready  for 
service  was  rapidly  progressing.  The  machinery  was  assembled,  the 
wheel  put  together,  and  the  supplies  for  the  use  of  the  command, 
which  had  been  brought  up  on  the  United  States  stenmers  Bear  and 
Mc  Calloch,  were  received  and  stowed  on  board.  As  much  coal  as  we 
could  carry  on  the  Xunivak,  in  addition  to  the  other  supplies,  was 
received  on  board,  and  about  80  tons  were  placed  on  a  barge  which 
was  very  kindly  loaned  to  us,  free  of  all  expense,  by  the  manager  of 
the  Alaska  Exploration  Company.  After  delivering  us  the  supplies 
which  had  been  brought  up  from  Seattle  on  the  Bear,  Lieut.  D.  H. 
Jarvis,  commanding  that  vessel,  left  St.  Michael  and  proceeded  to  the 
coast  of  Siberia,  where  a  quantity  of  fur  clothing,  deerskins,  native 
boots,  and  other  necessary  articles  for  the  use  of  the  crew  of  the 
JTa  nival'  during  the  winter  was  purchased.  The  Bear  returned  from 
her  cruise  and  delivered  us  the  articles  which  had  been  purchased,  and 
as  our  arrangements  were  now  fully  completed  we  left  St.  Michael  on 
the  9th  of  August  for  our  field  of  duty  on  the  Yukon  River. 

On  account  of  the  entire  lack  of  charts  of  the  Yukon  and  the  fact 
that  none  of  the  officers  of  the  command  had  ever  been  over  the  river, 
it  became  necessary  to  employ  a  pilot  to  take  the  vessel  over  the  ground 

35 


36 

on  the  first  trip.  For  this  purpose  the  services  of  Capt.  George  W. 
Beers  were  secured,  and  he  remained  with  us  until  we  completed  the 
journey  over  the  station. 

At  the  time  of  our  departure  from  St.  Michael  the  Nunivak  was 
loaded  almost  to  the  guards  and  was  drawing  5  feet  of  water.  The 
tides  were  running  rather  low  and  we  experienced  some  difficulty  in 
crossing  the  flats.  The  vessel  had  not  been  constructed  with  a  view  of 
towing  barges  either  alongside  or  ahead,  and  we  were  compelled  to  get 
along  as  best  we  could  with  the  loaded  barge  towing  astern.  Crossing 
the  bar  of  the  Aphoon  entrance  to  the  Yukon  with  some  difficulty, 
owing  to  the  lack  of  water  and  the  crooked  channel,  we  observed  the 
North  American  Transportation  and  Trading  Company's  steamer 
Cudahy  aground  on  a  sand  bar,  and  we  stopped  to  render  what  assist- 
ance we  could  to  get  her  off.  A  line  was  run  from  the  Nunivak  to 
the  stern  of  the  Cudahy,  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  pull  her  into 
deeper  water.  The  tide  was  falling,  however,  and  after  one  unsuccess- 
ful attempt  had  been  made  to  start  the  vessel,  her  master  requested  us 
to  desist  as  he  feared  we  would  injure  the  Cudahy  by  pulling  on  her 
any  longer.  He  stated  that  he  would  be  able  to  float  his  vessel  with- 
out assistance  when  the  tide  turned,  so  we  proceeded  on  our  way. 

The  delay  occasioned  by  handling  the  barge  and  in  the  attempt  to 
assist  the  Cudahy  caused  us  to  be  too  late  in  entering  the  river  to  take 
advantage  of  the  high  tide,  so  that  in  working  the  vessel  through  the 
narrow  and  intricate  channels  of  the  Aphoon  we  frequently  got 
aground,  or  else  the  barge  towing  astern  would  take  a  sheer  and 
either  run  aground  on  a  sand  bar  or  crash  into  the  low  bushes  which 
fringed  the  river  bank,  in  either  case  involving  a  tedious  delay  to  get 
straightened  out  again.  In  attempting  to  make  the  crossing  at  Kot- 
lik,  7  miles  upstream  from  the  mouth  of  the  Aphoon,  the  barge 
took  a  sudden  sheer  and  ran  hard  aground  on  a  mud  flat.  The  strain 
on  the  towline  caused  the  Nunivak  to  swerve  from  her  course  in  the 
narrowest  part  of  the  channel,  and  she  also  got  aground.  Finding  it 
impossible  to  back  off,  the  big  ''jumping  spars  "  were  brought  into  play, 
and  our  first  attempt  to  get  the  vessel  into  deep  water  by  this  means 
was  tried.  Meanwhile  the  tide  was  rapidly  falling,  and  when  we  finally 
got  the  spars  over  the  side  it  was  too  late  to  do  any  good  and  the  work 
was  abandoned  until  next  high  water. 

The  mosquitoes  swarmed  out  of  the  low  brush-covered  banks  and 
for  a  time  made  life  miserable  for  all  on  board;  but  toward  night  a 
brisk  wind  sprang  up  and  cleared  the  vessel  of  the  pests  and  gave  all 
hands  an  opportunity  of  getting  some  much-needed  rest. 

At  midnight  the  tide  came  in  sufficiently  to  float  the  barge,  and  after 
towing  it  upstream  a  short  distance  with  the  steam  launch  we  soon 
"sparred"  the  Nunivak  into  the  channel,  and  after  picking  up  the 
barge  we  once  more  proceeded  on  our  way. 


37 

Immediately  on  entering  the  river  work  was  commenced  on  a  chart 
which  would  show  when  completed  the  depth  of  water  in  the  channel, 
courses  and  distances  between  points,  character  of  the  shores,  obstruc- 
tions to  navigation,  the  position  of  prominent  landmarks,  and  in  gen- 
eral all  the  data  which  would  be  of  assistance  in  the  navigation  of  the 
stream.  The  steam  launch  was  kept  out  ahead  traversing  the  channel 
and  locating  shoal  places,  and  soundings  of  the  depth  of  water  in  the 
channel  were  taken  on  board  the  Nunivak  every  200  yards.  Our 
progress  was  necessarily  very  slow,  as  it  was  my  intention  to  make  as 
complete  a  chart  of  the  river  as  practicable  under  the  circumstances, 
so  that  it  was  not  until  4  p.  in.  that  we  left  the  Aphoon  and  entered 
the  Kwikpak  branch  of  the  Yukon.  Here  the  river  is  nearly  a  mile 
wide,  and  for  a  distance  of  10  or  12  miles  upstream  there  is  no  well- 
defined  channel.  A  short  distance  above  the  junction  of  the  Aphoon 
with  the  Kwikpak,  we  ran  aground  on  one  of  the  numerous  sand  bars 
which  obstruct  the  river,  and  before  we  could  get  the  spars  read}^  for 
use  the  tide  fell  and  made  it  impossible  to  get  the  vessel  afloat.  The 
rest  of  the  day  was  spent  in  locating  the  best  channel  through  the 
shoals,  and  the  next  morning  at  dajdight  the  tide  rose  high  enough 
to  enable  us  to  get  afloat  again,  and  we  backed  downstream  about 
a  mile,  where  a  channel,  previously  located  by  the  steam  launch,  was 
entered,  and  without  much  further  difficulty  we  got  over  this  bad 
portion  of  the  river  and  proceeded  on  our  wa}T. 

At  New  Fort  Hamilton  we  stopped  to  make  an  examination  of  the 
rudders,  as  they  were  working  very  badl}T,  and  it  was  found  that  the 
iron  stock  of  the  port  center  rudder  was  twisted  and  cracked  so  badly 
as  to  interfere  with  the  free  movement  of  the  other  rudders.  Such 
repairs  as  could  be  made  at  the  time  were  finished  and  we  again  went 
on  our  way.  At  2  p.  m.  of  August  11  the  Big  Bend  of  the  Yukon 
was  rounded  and  we  emerged  into  the  main  stream,  where  high  banks 
took  the  place  of  the  low  shores  of  the  delta  and  a  deep,  unobstructed 
channel  enabled  us  to  proceed  at  a  rate  of  speed  and  freedom  from 
care  which,  until  this  time,  had  been  impossible.  For  the  first  time 
since  entering  the  river  an  opportunity  was  now  afforded  to  straighten 
up  the  decks,  which  were  littered  with  a  mass  of  tangled  cordage,  haw- 
sers, and  the  gear  used  in  "sparring  off"  and  in  laying  out  anchors  in 
our  efforts  to  get  the  vessel  afloat.  When  this  work  was  finished,  all 
hands  except  those  on  duty  in  the  engineer's  department  and  the  sea- 
men casting  the  lead  were  excused  from  duty  to  enable  them  to  get 
some  rest.  We  reached  Andreafski  at  6  p.  m.  of  the  11th,  and  stopped 
here  to  repair  our  injured  rudder.  A  machine  shop  is  maintained  at 
this  place  by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  for  the  repair  of  any 
of  their  vessels  which  may  be  injured  on  the  river,  and  I  anticipated 
having  no  difficulty  in  getting  the  repairs  we  needed  done  here.  But 
upon  inquiry  I  was  informed  by  Mr.  Fredericks,  the  agent  of  the 


38 

company,  that  there  were  no  machinists  or  blacksmiths  at  Andreafski 
at  this  time,  and  while  he  would  allow  us  the  use  of  the  plant  we 
would  have  to  do  all  the  work  with  our  own  men. 

The  injured  rudderstock  was  therefore  unshipped,  and  under  the 
supervision  of  Assistant  Engineer  Wood  an  attempt  to  repair  the 
damage  was  made  by  our  firemen.  The  blacksmith  shop  forge  proved 
to  be  too  small,  however,  and  after  working  two  days  without  success 
to  make  a  weld,  the  attempt  was  abandoned.  I  decided  to  disconnect 
the  injured  rudder  entirely  and  depend  upon  the  three  remaining  ones 
to  control  the  vessel.  This  plan  was  accordingly  adopted  and  upon 
subsequent  trial  it  proved  to  be  successful. 

During  our  stay  at  Andreafski,  all  of  the  coal  was  transferred  from 
the  barge  to  the  Nunivak,  and  as  we  had  no  further  use  for  the  former, 
it  was  left  here  to  be  called  for  by  one  of  the  Alaska  Exploration  Com- 
pan}T's  steamers  on  the  way  down  the  river.  The  boilers  were  washed 
out  and  refilled  and  a  fresh  supply  of  drinking  water  laid  in  at  Andre- 
afski, as  the  water  of  the  Yukon  during  the  summer  season  is  too 
muddy  for  use. 

At  daylight  of  August  19  we  left  Andreafski  and  stood  on  our  way 
up  the  Yukon.  Our  progress  now  was  much  better,  as  we  were 
unhampered  b}^  the  barge.  With  the  exception  of  a  shoal  "  crossing" 
now  and  then  encountered  there  was  plenty  of  water  in  the  channel, 
which  was  wide  and  singularly  free  from  any  obstructions  to  naviga- 
tion. Several  of  the  steamers  engaged  in  traffic  on  the  river  were 
met  on  their  way  to  St.  Michael,  and  boarded  and  examined  according 
to  law.  In  almost  every  case  the  vessels  were  found  to  be,  in  some 
particular,  lacking  in  some  of  the  requirements  of  law.  All  these 
deficiencies  were  duly  noted  and  the  delinquents  reported  to  the  col- 
lector of  customs  at  St.  Michael.  It  is  but  just  to  state  that  in  most 
of  the  cases  the  failure  to  comply  strictly  to  the  law  was  the  result  of 
ignorance  more  than  neglect  on  the  part  of  the  owners  of  the  vessels, 
and  prompt  measures  were  taken  by  them  to  observe  all  the  require- 
ments of  law  when  their  attention  was  called  to  any  omissions. 

Our  progress  upstream  from  this  point  was  marked  b}r  no  unusual 
incident.  We  generally  got  under  way  in  the  morning  at  daylight 
and  ran  until  darkness  made  it  impossible  to  collect  the  data  necessary 
for  our  chart,  and  then  we  wTould  make  fast  to  some  convenient  tree 
on  the  shore  for  the  night.  One  or  two  attempts  were  made  to  anchor 
the  vessel  at  night,  but  the  holding  ground  proved  to  be  treacherous 
and  unreliable;  so  we  soon  adopted  the  general  custom  of  the  river 
steamboat  men,  which  is  to  "  go  to  the  bank"  whenever  it  becomes 
necessary  to  stop  for  any  length  of  time. 

After  leaving  Andreafski  the  current  in  the  river  gradually  increases 
until  it  attains  an  estimated  force  of  3£  miles  per  h*3ur,  and  this 
amount  does  not  vaiy  much  until  after  Anvik  is  passed.     The  main 


39 

channel  follows  closely  the  west  or  right  bank  of  the  river,  and  now 
the  treeless  tundra  plains  of  the  delta  give  place  to  rolling  hills,  sparsely 
covered  with  poplar  and  birch  trees,  with  here  and  there  a  few  scat- 
tering spruce,  the  advance  guard  of  the  great  forests  of  the  interior. 
The  islands  no  longer  appear  as  bare  shoals  or  low  grass-covered 
plains,  but  are  higher  and  sustain  a  growth  of  timber  which  gradually 
increases  in  size  as  we  go  up  the  river.  In  a  general  way  it  may  be 
said  that  the  timber  of  the  Yukon  Valley  is  distributed  as  follows: 
First  the  low  brush  of  the  delta,  then  the  willow  thickets  and  poplar 
or  cottonwood  of  the  lower  river,  and  lastly  the  birch,  spruce,  and 
pine  forests  of  the  interior.  Two  days  after  leaving  Andreafski  we 
arrived  at  Russian  Mission,  where  we  stopped  to  call  on  the  church 
authorities  and  visit  the  settlement.  Father  Korchinski,  who  was  in 
charge  of  the  mission,  gave  us  a  warm  welcome,  and  seemed  pleased 
to  show  us  through  the  native  village,  which  is  one  of  the  oldest  on 
the  river.  The  Greek  church  at  this  place,  which  is  one  of  the  finest 
churches  in  Alaska,  was  also  visited  under  the  guidance  of  our  host, 
and  after  all  the  sights  had  been  seen  the  officers  of  the  ship  accepted 
an  invitation  to  take  a  cup  of  tea  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Belkoff,  the  agent 
of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Compan}T  at  this  place.  The  refreshments 
consisted  of  tea  and  sweet  crackers.  The  tea  was  prepared  by  boiling 
water  in  a  huge  brass  samovar,  after  the  true  Russian  style,  and 
served  in  glass  tumblers  instead  of  cups.  It  is  a  peculiar  fact  that  this 
method  of  preparing  tea  has  survived  where  nearly  all  other  customs 
have  succumbed  to  the  changes  wrought  in  the  manner  of  living  since 
the  transfer  of  the  territory  from  Russia  to  the  United  States. 

I  took  occasion  to  explain  to  Father  Korchinski,  and  requested  him 
to  inform  his  parishioners,  that  the  duties  of  the  JVunivak  were  not 
onl}^  to  see  that'  trade  and  commerce  were  conducted  according  to  law 
on  the  river,  but  we  were  authorized  to  preserve  order  and  arrest 
offenders  against  the  law  in  any  particular.  It  was  also  our  duty  to 
render  what  assistance  we  could  to  persons  in  distress,  and  it  would 
always  be  our  pleasure  to  do  this  or  anything  else  possible  which  would 
tend  to  promote  good  order  and  happiness  in  the  community.  This 
information  was  afterwards  given  to  those  in  authority  at  all  of  the 
settlements  visited  by  the  NimivaJc  on  the  river,  and  the  opinion  uni- 
versally expressed  was  one  of  satisfaction  that  the  Government  should 
have  placed  such  a  means  of  help  and  protection  as  the  JVttnivak 
afforded  within  the  reach  of  these  isolated  people. 

The  morning  of  August  21  found  us  once  more  on  our  way  up  the 
river.  The  character  of  the  stream  varied  but  little  from  that  observed 
the  previous  day.  The  channel  still  held  persistently  to  the  right 
bank,  the  islands  became  less  numerous  and  much  longer,  and  the 
mountains  crowded  in  closer  to  the  river,  exposing  to  view  cliffs  of 
conglomerate  and  trachyte  rock,  much  folded  and  contorted  by  the 


40 

plutonic  forces  which  lifted  the  land,  at  some  distant  time  in  the  past, 
to  its  present  level.  The  highest  peaks  of  the  mountain  range  which 
lie  to  the  westward  of  the  river  in  this  locality  are  probably  not  over 
2,000  feet  in  elevation.  Away  off  to  the  southeast  a  solitary  snow- 
covered  peak,  Mount  Kusiloff,  dominates  the  otherwise  low  and  unin- 
teresting landscape,  while  farther  to  the  eastward  the  faint  outlines 
of  a  high  range  of  rugged  mountains,  scarcely  distinguishable  against 
the  background  of  pale-blue  sky,  mark  the  vicinity  of  the  headwaters 
of  the  Kuskokwim  River. 

During  the  afternoon  we  arrived  at  Koserefski,  at  which  place  is 
situated  the  Roman  Catholic  Mission  of  the  Holy  Cross.  We  were 
met  at  the  landing  and  given  welcome  by  the  Rev.  Father  R.  J.  Cri- 
mont,  in  charge  of  the  mission,  and  spent  a  most  enjoyable  afternoon 
visiting  the  school,  where  some  25  native  children,  cleanly  dressed, 
intelligent  looking,  and  apparently  happ}%  were  at  work  under  the 
supervision  and  instruction  of  three  Sisters  of  the  Canadian  Order  of 
St.  Anne.  Besides  maintaining  an  excellent  school  for  the  instruction 
of  the  native  children  the  little  community  of  missionaries  have  cleared 
about  6  acres  of  ground  and  planted  it  to  garden  vegetables,  which, 
under  the  fostering  care  of  the  "  head  gardener,"  Sister  Mary  Joseph, 
has  flourished  amazingly,  and  each  year  produces  an  abundant  crop  of 
cabbages,  turnips,  radishes,  lettuce,  beets,  and  other  hardy  vegetables, 
which  for  quality  will  compare  most  favorably  with  those  grown  in 
any  part  of  the  world.  The  sight  of  an  old-fashioned  garden,  filled 
with  the  sweet  bloom  of  mignonette,  pansies,  daisies,  sweet  pea,  mari- 
gold, and  other  homely  flowers,  was  a  glad  surprise  for  eyes  which  had 
grown  tired  of  somber  forests  and  desolate  tundra  plains.  When  we 
returned  to  the  ship  it  was  with  arms  full  of  redolent  flowers,  and  a  cart 
load  of  fresh  vegetables,  enough  and  to  spare  for  everyone  on  board. 

At  daylight  of  August  22  we  »left  Koserefski  and  continued  our 
journey  up  the  river.  A  short  stop  was  made  at  Anvik,  where  the 
acquaintance  of  Rev.  J.  W.  Chapman,  in  charge  of  the  Episcopalian 
mission  at  this  place,  was  made;  but  a  steamer  had  been  sighted  com- 
ing down  the  river  when  we  turned  into  the  Anvik,  and  I  did  not 
want  to  miss  having  her  boarded.  Our  stay  at  Anvik  was  cut  short, 
and  we  had  no  opportunity  of  visiting  the  native  school  at  this  place 
at  this  time.  The  steamer  proved  to  be  the  Seattle  No.  i,  from  Daw- 
son for  St.  Michael.  We  learned  from  her  master  that  the  steamers 
Hannah  and  Robert  Kerr  were  expected  to  sail  from  Dawson  a  few 
days  after  the  departure  of  the  Seattle,  and  might  be  looked  for  at  any 
time  now.  In  anticipation  of  their  arrival  our  mail  was  made  ready 
for  delivery  to  one  of  these  steamers  for  transportation  to  the  outside. 

On  the  23d  we  reached  Kaltag  Village,  at  which  point  the  winter 
trail  from  the  Yukon  to  St.  Michael  leaves  the  river  to  cross  the 
portage.  Here  a  stop  was  made  long  enough  to  get  a  fresh  supply  of 
water  from  the  Kaltag  River,  which  is  a  very  clear  little  stream  flowing 


41 

into  the  Yukon  from  the  northwest.  The  Indians  were  busy  catching 
and  drying  salmon  and  the  beach  was  covered  with  racks  filled  with 
the  fish. 

On  the  24th  the  steamers  Hannah  and  Robert  Kerr  were  met  and 
boarded  a  short  distance  below  Nulato.  Dr.  Bishop,  a  member  of  the 
Biological  Survey,  was  a  passenger  on  the  Hannah  and  paid  me  a 
call.  The  doctor  informed  me  that  he  had  been  busy  all  summer 
gathering  specimens  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Yukon  but  had  had 
the  misfortune  to  lose  them  all  by  the  upsetting  of  a  small  boat.  I 
delivered  a  trunk  and  box  of  supplies,  which  had  been  brought  up 
from  Seattle  on  the  Nunivak  for  Mr.  Osgood,  who  was  a  member  of 
the  party,  to  Dr.  Bishop,  and  after  putting  our  mail  on  board  the 
Hannah  we  proceeded  on  our  way.  Nulato  was  reached  at  3  p.  m. , 
and  we  stopped  for  a  short  time  to  call  on  the  Rev.  Father  Aloys  A. 
Ragaru,  who  has  charge  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Mission  of  St.  Peter 
Clavers  at  this  place.  There  are  about  350  natives  over  whom  he  has 
spiritual  charge,  but  at  the  time  of  our  visit  most  of  the  Indians  were 
absent  fishing. 

Nulato  is  one  of  the  oldest  settlements  and  trading  posts  on  the  river, 
and  is  still  the  favorite  tradingplace  of  the  Koyukuk  River  Indians,  who 
have  annually  brought  their  furs  here  to  trade  for  supplies  ever  since 
the  occupation  of  the  territory  by  the  Russians.  The  post  was  twice 
destroyed  by  hostile  natives,  and  the  white  settlers  killed  to  a  man. 
It  is  still  the  rendezvous  of  natives  who  have  been  brought  very  little 
in  touch  with  the  white  population;  but  the  work  of  Father  Ragaru 
has  done  much  to  enlighten  them,  and  at  the  present  day  but  little  fear 
is  felt  of  an  uprising  such  as  took  place  among  the  natives  when  the 
Russians  were  in  charge. 

Just  above  Nulato,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Yukon,  a  remarkable 
series  of  brown  sandstone  bluffs  of  the  Marine  Miocene  period  are 
seen,  and  it  is  a  peculiar  fact  that  no  similar  formation  has  been  dis- 
covered at  any  other  point  on  the  river.  The  bluffs  are  rich  in  marine 
and  vegetable  fossils  of  the  Miocene  period,  and  would  no  doubt  furnish 
a  very  interesting  field  for  geological  exploration. 

Twenty  miles  above  Nulato  a  coal  vein  in  the  right  bank  of  the  river 
has  been  recently  opened  up.  We  stopped  to  examine  the  mine  and 
found  that  a  considerable  quantity  of  coal  had  been  extracted,  and 
we  were  informed  by  Mr.  Pickert,  the  manager  of  the  company,  that 
it  was  being  used  with  good  results  by  several  steamers  on  the  river. 
The  coal  appears  to  be  a  form  of  lignite  rather  than  a  true  bituminous 
coal,  and  is  in  this  respect  similar  to  the  coal  found  in  other  parts  of 
the  Territory. 

At  6  p.  m.  the  mouth  of  the  Koyukuk  River  was  passed,  and  at  dark 
we  stopped  alongside  the  bank  at  a  wood  chopper's  camp  and  made 
fast  for  the  night. 


42 

August  25  was  fair  and  clear,  and  the  portion  of  the  river  in  which  we 
now  found  ourselves  was  densely  wooded  on  both  shores.  With  the 
high  temperature,  luxuriant  foliage,  and  blooming  wild  flowers  on 
every  side  it  was  hard  to  realize  the  fact  that  we  were  journeying  up 
a  stream  which  touches  the  arctic  circle  in  its  course  and  whose 
entire  length  for  eight  months  of  the  year  is  held  hard  and  fast  in  the 
cold  embrace  of  relentless  winter. 

On  August  25  we  reached  the  junction  of  the  Tozikakit  River  with 
the  Yukon  and  stopped  long  enough  to  examine  the  locality  as  a  place 
for  laying  the  vessel  up  for  the  winter.  During  the  winter  of  1898 
several  vessels  had  wintered  here,  and  log  cabins  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  their  crews  had  been  built  on  shore.  These  cabins  were  still 
standing,  but  were  in  a  dilapidated  condition  and  almost  buried  under 
a  rank  growth  of  grass  and  moss.  The  entrance  to  the  Tozikakit 
was  obstructed  by  a  bar  over  which  it  would  be  impossible  for  the 
Nunivak  to  pass  except  during  periods  of  exceptionally  high  water  in 
the  Yukon.  Although  our  examination  was  very  hurriedly  made, 
enough  was  seen  to  prove  to  me  that  this  is  not  a  suitable  place  in 
which  to  winter  a  vessel  of  the  Nunivatts  size.  Nine  miles  above 
the  mouth  of  the  Tozikakit  are  situated  the  important  trading  sta- 
tions maintained  by  the  North  American  Transportation  and  Trading 
Company  and  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  for  traffic  with  the 
Tanana  Indians.  The  army  post  of  Fort  Gibbon  is  also  located  here. 
We  stopped  at  the  latter  place  and  exchanged  the  customary  calls  of 
courtesy  with  the  commandant  of  the  post.  After  these  formalities 
had  been  observed  social  calls  were  in  order,  and  the  acquaintance 
of  the  officers  of  the  garrison  was  made.  At  the  invitation  of  Maj. 
C.  A.  Booth,  U.  S.  Army,  commandant  of  the  post,  we  remained  at 
Fort  Gibbon  for  a  day,  and  the  visit  was  thoroughly  enjoyed  by 
everyone. 

While  at  Fort  Gibbon  I  had  the  pleasure  of  forming  the  acquaint- 
ance of  Rev.  Mr.  Prevost  and  Mr.  Selden,  who  were  connected  with 
the  Episcopalian  mission  of  St.  James,  which  is  situated  about  3 
miles  above  the  post,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Tanana  River.  I 
received  much  interesting  information  from  these  gentlemen  in  rela- 
tion to  the  Tanana  Indians,  who  come  within  the  observation  of  the 
mission,  and  I  was  much  impressed  with  the  evident  enthusiasm  and 
devotion  to  duty  manifested  by  them  in  their  missionary  work. 

The  season  was  now  growing  late,  as  shown  by  the  rapid  decrease  of 
the  hours  of  daylight,  the  coolness  of  the  nights,  and,  more  noticeable 
than  any  other  feature,  the  sudden  appearance,  of  splashes  of  vivid 
scarlet  and  yellow  autumnal  foliage  on  the  birch-covered  hillsides.  So 
with  mutual  expressions  of  regret  that  our  visit  to  the  postjnust  be  so 
soon  terminated,  we  bade  good-bye  to  our  army  friends  at  Fort  Gibbon 
on  August  29  and  resumed  our  journey  upstream. 


43 

After  passing  the  junction  of  the  Yukon  and  the  Tanana  rivers,  4 
miles  above  Fort  Gibbon,  the  former  stream  narrows  to  less  than  a 
mile  in  width.  The  depth  of  water  and  the  force  of  the  current  rapidly 
increase  as  we  near  the  Rampart  Rapids,  which  begin  at  a  point  about 
40  miles  above  Tanana.  Both  banks  of  the  river  here  are  composed 
of  towering  cliffs  of  granite  and  conglomerate  rock,  through  which 
veins  of  quartz  are  seen.  The  formation  is  much  broken  up  and  dis- 
jointed, and  in  some  places  the  strata  have  been  upheaved  into  almost 
perpendicular  positions.  At  the  lower  end  of  the  rapids  a  high  bar,  com- 
posed apparently  of  rounded  granitic  bowlders,  lies  in  midstream  and 
is  a  dangerous  obstruction  to  navigation.  The  channel  at  this  point  is 
less  than  100  yards  wide  and  the  current  rushes  through  at  the  rate  of 
from  8  to  9  miles  per  hour.  Along  the  bowlder-strewn  shores  the  river 
tore  itself  into  ribbons  of  lace-like  foam  and  the  channel  was  filled 
with  violent  swirls  and  breakers,  indicating  that  even  in  midstream 
dangerous  rocks  probably  exist. 

Before  entering  the  rapids  a  careful  examination  of  the  engine  was 
made  to  see  that  everything  was  in  good  working  order,  and  when  Mr. 
Wood  reported  that  we  were  all  ready  the  Nunivak,  with  a  high  pres- 
sure of  steam  on,  was  headed  through  the  narrow  passage.  We  had 
heard  so  much  about  this  bit  of  swift  water  from  the  local  steamboat 
men  that  considerable  trouble  in  getting  through  it  was  anticipated. 
We  were  therefore  very  agreeably  surprised  to  find  that  the  Nunivah 
overcame  the  force  of  the  current  with  hardly  any  perceptible  diffi- 
culty, and  in  half  an  hour  we  had  passed  through  the  worst  part  of  the 
rapids  and  reached  the  calmer  reaches  of  the  river  above. 

After  passing  through  the  lower  gorge  of  the  ramparts  the  river 
again  expands  to  an  average  width  of  a  mile  between  its  shores  and 
the  mountains  on  both  sides  recede  to  a  distance  of  10  or  12  miles. 
The  valley  thus  formed  is  comparatively  level  and  is  drained  by  num- 
erous small  streams. 

At  4  p.  m.  we  reached  Rampart  City,  which  is  situated  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Yukon,  75  miles  above  Fort  Gibbon.  This  is  the  largest 
white  settlement  on  the  Yukon  in  American  territory,  and  for  several 
years  has  been  the  center  of  extensive  mining  operations  on  Minook 
Creek  and  other  less  well-known  streams  in  the  immediate  vicinity. 
Here  an  opportunity  for  cleaning  the  boilers  and  overhauling  the 
machinery  was  given  the  engineer's  department,  and  we  remained  for 
five  da}Ts.  Pleasant  visits  were  exchanged  and  the  acquaintance 
formed  of  Lieutenant  Tillman,  U.  S.  Army,  in  charge  of  a  small 
detachment  of  soldiers  stationed  at  Rampart;  Judge  Knapp,  the 
United  States  commissioner  of  the  circuit  court;  Colonel  Wiggin,  the 
United  States  land  commissioner,  and  the  agents  of  the  several  trading 
companies  doing  business  at  this  place. 

While  lying  at  Rampart  all  vessels  bound  either  up  or  down  the 


44 

river  were  boarded  and  examined.  The  steamer  Sovereign  was  found 
to  be  engaged  in  traffic  without  having  the  necessary  legal  papers  on 
board,  and  she  was  seized  and  sent  to  St.  Michael  in  charge  of  a 
custodian  appointed  for  the  purpose  and  turned  over  to  the  custody  of 
the  collector  of  customs  at  that  place.  A  full  report  of  this  seizure 
has  already  been  made  to  the  Department.  A  small  stream  entering 
the  Yukon  opposite  Rampart  was  examined  to  ascertain  whether  it 
would  afford  the  Nunivdk  suitable  winter  quarters,  but,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  Tozikakit  River,  it  was  found  that  a  high  bar  obstructed  the 
entrance,  which  made  its  selection  for  the  purpose  impracticable. 
Information  from  several  sources  had  been  received  in  regard  to  the 
suitability^  of  Dall  River  as  a  place  for  winter  quarters  for  all  classes 
of  river  steamers,  and  after  completing  the  repairs  to  our  machineiy 
we  left  Rampart  on  the  morning  of  September  4,  bound  for  Dall 
River  for  the  purpose  of  looking  over  the  ground.  The  distance  to 
that  place  from  Rampart  is  85  miles,  and  we  reached  and  entered  the 
river  without  difficulty  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day.  After  spend- 
ing a  day  in  sounding  out  the  stream  for  a  distance  of  2  miles  from  its 
mouth,  and  finding  it  free  from  any  obstructions  and  in  every  other 
way  the  most  suitable  place  we  had  yet  seen  on  the  Yukon  in  which  to 
lay  a  vessel  up,  I  decided  to  select  this  as  our  winter  quarters. 

The  limits  of  the  cruising  ground  assigned  to  the  Nunivak  by  the 
Department  having  been  now  reached,  I  did  not  deem  the  services  of 
a  pilot  as  any  longer  necessary.  We  therefore  returned  to  Rampart, 
where  Mr.  Beers  could  secure  passage  back  to  St.  Michael,  and  he 
left  the  ship. 

We  remained  at  Rampart,  boarding  all  passing  vessels  and  perform- 
ing the  other  duties  incident  to  the  Service,  until  September  18,  when, 
bidding  good-bye  to  our  many  kind  friends,  we  left  for  our  proposed 
winter  home  in  Dall  River. 

The  weather  was  growing  steadily  colder,  and  while  the  days  were 
as  yet  fine  and  clear  ice  formed  on  deck  every  night,  and  the  tops  of 
the  mountains  were  white  with  newly  fallen  snow.  Overhead  long 
columns  of  geese  were  now  daily  seen  headed  southward,  while  flocks 
of  sand-hill  cranes  were  constantly  rising  from  their  feeding  grounds, 
with  raucous  cries,  to  join  the  feathered  company  on  its  annual  migra- 
tion to  some  more  genial  winter  home.  The  woods  along  the  river 
banks,  which  for  weeks  had  been  musical  with  the  trilling  notes  of 
innumerable  song  birds,  seemed  to  have  been  suddenly  deserted  by 
every  living  thing  except  an  occasional  vagrant  raven  winging  his  idle 
flight  among  the  bare  branches  of  the  poplar  trees,  or  else,  perched 
on  the  topmost  branch  of  some  swaying  spruce,  croaking  in  undis- 
turbed enjoyment  of  solitary  possession.  ^ 

The  question  of  fuel  for  winter  use  was  now  the  most  important 
one  for  solution.     We  had  started  from  St.  Michael  with  225  tons  of 


FORT  HAMLIN  TRADING   POST  ON  THE  YUKON   RIVER,   1,072  MILES  FROM  THE  COAST. 


45 

coal  on  hand,  and  the  greater  portion  of  this  amount  had  been  con- 
sumed in  coming  up  the  rivet,  so  that  the  approach  of  winter  found 
us  with  barely  sufficient  coal  for  use  in  the  galley  during  the  eight  or 
nine  months  which  must  elapse  before  we  could  receive  a  fresh  supply 
from  the  outside.  It  would  therefore  be  necessary  to  obtain  an  addi- 
tional quantity  of  fuel  for  heating  the  vessel  while  we  were  in  winter 
quarters.  On  our  first  trip  to  Dall  River  we  passed  the  Pioneer  coal 
mine,  owned  and  operated  by  Mr.  Thomas  Drew,  25  miles  above 
Rampart,  and  had  taken  on  board  a  small  quantity  of  the  coal  to  test 
it  for  use  in  the  furnaces  of  the  Nunivak.  After  giving  the  coal  a 
trial  Mr.  Wood  reported  that  it  would  probably  serve  our  purpose, 
and  arrangements  were  therefore  made  with  Mr.  Drew  to  take  on 
board  a  supply  from  his  mine  before  finally  leaving  the  river  at  the 
end  of  the  season.  The  time  left  him  for  getting  out  the  coal  was, 
however,  very  limited,  and  when  we  reached  the  mine  on  the  18th  of 
September  we  found  that  we  could  only  obtain  12  tons.  This  would 
not  be  sufficient,  but  as  it  was  the  best  that  could  be  done  under  the 
circumstances  this  amount  was  taken  on  board,  and  on  the  21st  of  the 
month,  in  the  midst  of  a  howling  gale  and  thick  snowstorm,  we  left 
for  up  the  river.  In  spite  of  the  bad  weather,  we  made  the  run  as  far 
as  Fort  Hamlin,  a  distance  of  50  miles,  without  mishap  of  any  kind, 
and  stopped  there  for  the  night.  The  steamer  Hamilton ,  bound  down 
the  river,  was  boarded  during  the  night,  and  I  was  informed  by  her 
master  that  no  other  steamer  would  probably  leave  Dawson  this  sea- 
son, as  navigation  on  the  upper  river,  owing  to  very  low  water,  was 
practically  ended. 

We  left  Fort  Hamlin  at  daylight  next  morning  and  reached  Dall 
River  at  8  a.  m.  The  water  in  the  river  was  much  lower  than  at  the 
time  of  our  first  visit,  but  still  high  enough  to  enable  the  Nunivak  to 
enter  without  difficulty.  The  day  was  spent  in  making  a  careful  exam- 
ination of  the  stream  to  find  the  best  location  for  la}ring  up  the  vessel, 
and  finally  a  place  about  a  mile  from  the  mouth  of  the  Dall  was 
selected,  and  the  Nunivak  was  hauled  up  to  it  and  secured  in  such  a 
way  that  she  would  rest  on  an  even  keel  when  the  ice  should  form 
around  her. 

In  spite  of  the  fact  that  no  previous  attempt  had  ever  been  made  to 
spend  the  winter  on  board  a  vessel  by  other  parties  wintering  in  this 
region,  we  decided  that  it  could  be  done  much  more  comfortably  than 
to  shift  our  quarters  into  log  houses  on  shore,  as  is  the  usual  custom. 
In  order,  however,  to  have  a  place  of  shelter  in  case  of  any  accident 
which  would  compel  us  to  leave  the  vessel  during  the  winter,  all  the 
superfluous  stores  were  taken  out  of  the  Nunivak  and  stowed  in  a 
commodious  log  house  which  we  found  already  built  near  the  vessel, 
and  which  was  afterwards  repaired  so  that  it  would  furnish  the  whole 
command  ample  room  for  occupancy   if  any  event  .should  make  it 


46 

necessary.  In  addition  to  the  supplies  of  food  and  fuel  which  were 
placed  in  this  house,  all  the  paints,  oils,  and  other  inflammable  mate- 
rial on  board  the  Nunivak  were  transferred  to  the  shore  so  as  to  guard 
as  far  as  possible  against  accident  by  fire.  These  preparations  occu- 
pied the  command  a  week  or  ten  days,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  a 
system  of  winter  routine  was  established,  and  all  hands  settled  down 
to  business  with  a  realization  that  it  would  be  at  least  eight  months 
before  we  could  move  fiom  our  present  position. 

The  name  selected  for  our  winter  quarters  was  Fort  Shoemaker,  in 
honor  of  Capt.  Charles  F.  Shoemaker,  R.  C.  S.,  who,  as  chief  of  the 
Revenue-Cutter  Service,  had  been  indefatigable  in  his  efforts  to  extend 
the  operations  of  the  Service  to  this  region,  and  to  whom  I  was  per- 
sonally indebted  for  many  acts  of  consideration  in  the  preparatory 
work  of  fitting  out  the  vessel  and  the  command  for  duty  on  the  new 
station. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Three  davs  after  our  arrival  at  Fort  Shoemaker  the  ice  formed  in 
the  Dall  and  for  a  time  it  looked  as  if  communication  with  the  Yukon, 
which  was  still  open,  would  be  cut  off.  We  had  been  led  to  hope  that 
some  other  vessel  might  select  the  Dall  as  a  place  for  winter  quarters, 
and  the  early  freezing  over  of  that  stream  was  on  that  account  not 
very  comforting.  But  much  to  our  satisfaction  the  river  opened  again, 
and  on  the  3rd  of  October  the  steamer  Leah,  owned  by  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company,  and  in  command  of  Captain  Dixon,  arrived 
and  took  up  quarters  half  a  mile  below  Fort  Shoemaker  for  the  winter. 
The  arrival  of  the  Leah  assured  us  that  we  would  not  be  entirely 
isolated  during  the  long  winter  and  her  quota  of  25  officers  and  crew 
were  hailed  as  a  welcome  addition  to  our  little  community. 

About  this  time  one  of  the  difficulties,  which  seem  to  be  inseparable 
from  the  command  of  enlisted  men  in  isolated  situations,  arose  and  for 
a  short  while  gave  me  considerable  uneasiness.  The  crew  of  the 
Nunivak  was  composed  partly  of  volunteers  transferred  from  other 
vessels  in  the  Service  and  partly  of  men  who  had  enlisted  for  the 
regular  term  of  three  years  required  by  our  regulations.  With  few 
exceptions  the  conduct  of  the  men  had  hitherto  been  all  that  could  be 
desired.  But  now  that  winter  was  nearly  on  us  and  it  became  evident 
that  our  short  supply  of  fuel  would  have  to  be  augmented  by  cutting 
wood  for  the  use  of  the  vessel  during  the  winter  a  spirit  of  unrest  and 
dissatisfaction  manifested  itself  in  numerous  ways.  Trivial  complaints 
and  petty  grievances  were  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  finally  when 
the  work  of  laying  up  the  vessel  for  the  winter  was  finished  and  the 
men  were  ordered  to  begin  cutting  wood,  with  hardly  a  single  exception 
the  entire  crew  asked  to  be  discharged.  The  reason  given  by  the  men 
for  this  request  was  stated  to  be  that  they  had  enlisted  as  seamen, 
firemen,  etc.,  and  that  woodcutting  was  not  one  of  their  duties. 

I  declined  to  entertain  any  requests  for  discharge  whatever,  and  at 
a  general  muster  of  the  crew  I  informed  them  that  I  should  hold  them 
strictly  to  the  agreement  under  which  they  enlisted  until  their  places 
could  be  filled  by  the  enlistment  of  other  men.  I  had  made,  as  they 
well  knew,  every  effort  to  purchase  fuel  for  the  vessel,  and  had  failed 
to  get  enough  to  carry  us  through  the  winter.     It  would  therefore  be 

47 


48 

necessary  to  cut  enough  wood  to  supply  the  deficiency,  and  they  must 
obey  my  orders  or  take  the  consequences. 

I  fully  realized  by  this  time  that  the  minds  of  most  of  the  men  had 
been  inflamed  by  the  stories  of  fabulous  riches  acquired  in  the  gold 
fields  of  Alaska,  and  that  they  had  enlisted  on  the  Nunivak  with  the 
preconceived  intention  of  leaving  her  at  the  first  opportunity  after 
reaching  the  interior  of  the  country.  It  was,  however,  imperatively 
necessary  to  maintain  the  command  at  its  full  strength,  and  while  the 
most  rigorous  discipline  was  observed  every  effort  was  made  to  avoid 
exposing  the  crew  to  any  unnecessary  hardships  and  to  make  their  sur- 
roundings as  comfortable  as  possible.  It  can  not  be  said  that  these 
efforts  were  altogether  successful,  as  the  men  continued  to  be  mood}" 
and  at  times  irritating;  but  the  work  assigned  to  them  was  satisfac- 
torily performed  and  there  were  no  further  open  expressions  of 
dissatisfaction. 

Ice  was  first  seen  in  the  Yukon  this  season  on  October  3.  It  froze 
solid  to  the  banks  on  each  side  of  the  river,  leaving  the  channel  still 
open.  This  shore  ice  gradually  increased  in  width  from  day  to  day, 
and  its  daily  growth  could  be  easily  determined  by  measuring  the 
width  of  the  furrow-like  mass  frozen  to  the  main  body  of  the  ice 
during  the  previous  night.  The  floating  particles  of  ice  gradually 
formed  into  cakes  from  2  to  4  inches  in  thickness,  which  the  action 
of  the  current  formed  into  circular  "pans"  from  5  to  10  feet  in  diam- 
eter. The  size  of  the  "pans"  gradually  increased  and  finally  choked 
the  channel.  The  ice  became  cemented  together  into  blocks  of  various 
thicknesses,  which  the  current  turned  and  twisted  and  piled  onto  each 
other  in  the  wildest  confusion.  At  last,  when -all  motion  ceased,  the 
frozen  surface  of  the  river  was  upheaved  into  ridges  miles  in  length, 
and  upon  the  high  bars  were  acres  of  mimic  bergs,  which  had  been 
forced  out  of  the  channel  by  the  tremendous  pressure  and  left  there 
until  the  spring  break-up  of  the  river  should  float  them  off  again  toward 
the  sea. 

The  ice  did  not  cease  moving  in  the  Yukon  until  late  in  October,  and 
it  is  probable  that  there  were  numerous  open  places  and  air  holes 
through  the  ice  which  did  not  finally  close  for  a  month  later.  On 
November  6  the  first  mail  "over  the  ice"  was  brought  down  the  river 
by  the  mail  man  with  a  dog  team.  From  that  time  until  the  breaking 
up  of  the  ice  in  the  spring  travel  on  the  river  was  uninterrupted. 

Meanwhile  the  ice  in  the  Dall  grew  stronger  with  each  night  of 
freezing  temperatures,  and  by  the  10th  of  October  it  was  firm  enough 
to  bear  the  weight  of  a  man.  As  no  great  amount  of  snow  had  fallen 
to  roughen  the  surface,  a  fortnight  of  splendid  skating  was  enjoyed 
by  all  the  members  of  the  party  who  had  been  thoughtful  enough  to 
provide  themselves  with  skates.  After  the  middle  of  October  a  suc- 
cession of  heavy  snowstorms  effectually  put  a  stop  to  skating,  and 
snowshoes  came  into  requisition. 


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49 

Constant  travel  up  and  down  the  river  and  across  the  adjacent  country 
by  the  Indians  on  their  hunting  trips,  and  by  prospecting  miners,  soon 
made  a  network  of  trails  leading  in  every  direction,  and  afforded 
ample  opportunity  for  our  party  to  take  such  exercise  as  was  necessary 
for  the  preservation  of  health.  Hardly  a  day  of  winter  passed  that 
most  of  the  members  of  the  command  did  not  spend  at  least  a  portion 
of  the  day  in  the  open  air.  No  inconvenience  from  the  cold  weather 
was  experienced  in  temperatures  ranging  from  —20°  to  —40°  F.  unless 
the  wind  was  blowing,  and  as  this  was  seldom  the  case  after  the  tem- 
perature fell  to  —20°,  our  hunting  parties  were  hardly  ever  kept 
indoors  by  inclement  weather.  Grouse  and  ptarmigan  were  fairly 
abundant  throughout  the  winter  and  not  only  afforded  excellent  sport, 
but  also  furnished  an  agreeable  change  from  our  rather  monotonous 
fare  of  canned  meats.  Two  days  of  the  week  were  set  aside  as  holidays 
for  the  crew  and  permission  was  granted  them  to  go  hunting  and  trap- 
ping in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Shoemaker.  With  one  or  two  exceptions, 
however,  the  men  preferred  to  remain  on  board  reading,  smoking,  or 
sleeping,  rather  than  to  go  on  hunting  trips  through  the  woods  after 
game.  As  the  regular  drills  and  other  duties  gave  them  plenty  of 
out-of-door  exercise,  I  did  not  interfere  with  their  method  of  spending 
the  time  given  them  for  recreation  and  amusement. 

Books,  periodicals,  and  magazines  belonging  to  the  officers  were 
freely  loaned  to  the  crew,  and  no  effort  was  spared  to  make  life  as 
pleasant  for  them  as  possible  consistent  with  the  maintenance  of  good 
discipline.  The  system  of  routine  adopted  for  the  government  of  the 
command  during  the  winter  was  modeled  on  the  plan  of  a  ship's  daily, 
weekly,  and  monthly  bill  of  stations  and  duties,  with  such  modifica- 
tions as  were  necessary  to  adapt  it  for  our  use,  and  it  was  carried  out 
with  regularity  during  the  period  of  our  enforced  detention  in  winter 
quarters.  The  sj^stematic  performance  of  the  duties  of  the  vessel 
gradually  tended  to  render  the  men,  if  not  exactly  contented,  at  least 
less  inclined  to  complain,  and  their  general  conduct  was  such  as  to 
make  any  severe  disciplinary  measures  unnecessary  except  on  one 
occasion. 

The  exception  to  the  general  condition  of  good  order  occurred  on 
the  eve  of  Thanksgiving  Day,  1899,  when,  by  some  means  never  dis- 
closed, the  crew  obtained  a  quantity  of  liquor  and  almost  to  a  man 
became  intoxicated.  One  of  the  seamen  became  so  boisterous  that  he 
was  restrained  and  made  to  keep  quiet  only  after  considerable  diffi- 
culty. His  influence  in  the  crew  was,  I  knew,  a  pernicious  one,  and 
his  language  and  attitude  of  defiance  of  authority  at  this  time  was  so 
disrespectful  toward  the  officers  who  had  attempted  to  quiet  him  that 
I  deemed  it  best  for  all  concerned  to  get  him  away  from  the  ship.  In 
accordance  with  this  decision  the  man  was  summarily  and  dishonorably 
discharged  from  the  Service  the  next  day,  with  sufficient  food  given 


50 

him  to  reach  the  next  settlement,  and  warned  not  to  come  on  the 
reservation  again  under  pain  of  arrest  and  trial  before  the  civil 
authorities.  The  manner  of  his  discharge  and  departure  from  the 
vessel  apparently  had  a  most  salutary  effect  on  the  rest  of  the  crew, 
for  from  that  time  on  there  was  not  a  single  case  of  drunkenness 
reported  nor  any  other  dereliction  of  duty  requiring  severer  punish- 
ment than  a  simple  reprimand  or  short  confinement  to  quarters  to 
maintain  good  order. 

The  end  of  November  found  us  in  the  midst  of  an  Arctic  winter. 
Snow  fell  with  more  or  less  regularity  during  this  and  the  preceding 
month  until  now  the  country  was  covered  to  a  depth  of  3  feet  or  more 
with  a  mantle  of  spotless  white.  Every  branch  and  twig  of  the 
smaller  growth  of  trees,  the  willows  and  alders  and  birches,  were 
sheathed  in  a  gleaming  armor  of  ice,  and  the  tall,  somber  spruces  car- 
ried upon  their  dark,  spreading  branches  each  its  burden  of  fleecy  snow. 
Hardly  a  breath  of  air  stirred  in  the  woods,  and  the  lagging  sun  rose 
each  day  like  a  great  silver  disk  and  ran  its  course  across  a  sky  that 
was  absolutely  free  from  clouds.  Long  after  the  sun  disappears  below 
the  crests  of  the  mountains  which  lie  to  the  south  the  radiance  of  his 
setting  bathes  the  sky  in  tender  color,  now  green  and  pink,  now  softest 
lilac,  shot  with  silver  threads,  and  gradually  as  night  comes  on  the 
more  delicate  colors  fade  away  and  insensibhT  the  whole  southern  sky 
darkens  to  a  splendid  purple,  lighted  up  by  a  host  of  trembling  stars. 

The  month  of  November  was  marked  by  the  most  brilliant  displays 
of  the  aurora  borealis  observed  during  our  stay  in  the  North.  Some 
of  these  displa}7s  were  so  remarkable  that  we  would  frequently  leave 
our  warm  quarters  to  watch  the  magnificent  spectacle  with  fascinated 
interest  while  it  lasted  or  until  the  intense  cold  would  cause  us  to  seek 
shelter. 

As  a  usual  thing  the  auroral  displays  were  observed  to  be  most 
brilliant  just  previous  to  a  period  of  lower  temperatures;  but  they 
were  rarely  seen  during  the  prevalence  of  excessively  cold  weather. 
The  phenomena  of  the  aurora  have  so  often  been  described  by  abler 
writers  that  I  shall  not  attempt  to  do  so  here.  There  are  no  words  at 
my  command  adequate  for  the  purpose.  The  spectacle  must  be  seen 
to  be  fully  appreciated,  and  for  one  who  loves  nature  in  all  her  moods 
nothing  can  be  more  beautiful — and  at  the  same  time  so  awe-inspiring — 
than  this  mystic  northern  light  drenching  the  sky  from  the  zenith  to 
the  horizon  with  cascades  of  ever-shifting  color.  Now  set  in  rigid 
lines  of  prismatic  hue,  and  again  tremulous  and  waving  in  crinkling 
folds  across  the  sky,  festooning  the  firmament  with  clinging,  silken 
fabrics,  through  which  the  light  glows  and  filters  with  soft  radiance, 
and  again,  breaking  into  myriads  of  glistening,  flashing  particles — 
a  whole  world  of  jewels — to  be  strewn  across  the  interspace  With  such 
reckless  prodigality  as  to  blind  the  eye  and  confuse  the  mind  and  to 
make  any  mere  word  description  of  its  wonderful  beaut}r  weak  and 
futile. 


51 

The  fine,  clear  weather  of  November  was  taken  advantage  of  to  lay 
in  a  good  supply  of  wood  to  last  us  through  the  month  of  December, 
when  the  short  hours  of  daylight  and  probable  colder  weather  would 
make  such  work  impossible.  By  the  last  week  of  the  month  the  crew 
had  cut  and  hauled  to  the  vessel  about  160  cords  of  wood,  which,  with 
the  supply  of  coal  on  hand,  would  be  sufficient  to  supply  our  wants 
until  the  lengthening  days  of  the  new  year  would  permit  the  work  in 
the  woods  to  be  resumed. 

Until  this  time  we  had  not  used  the  electric  lights  installed  in  the 
vessel  on  account  of  the  increased  quantity  of  fuel  required  to  run  the 
dynamo,  but  now  that  we  had  a  good  supply  of  wood  on  hand  the 
lights  were  turned  on  at  2  p.  m.  and  kept  burning  until  bedtime.  The 
better  illumination  of  the  quarters  seemed  to  have  a  cheering  effect  on 
the  spirits  of  everyone  on  board. 

On  the  8th  of  December  the  sun  did  not  rise  above  the  hills  lying  to 
the  south  of  us,  and  did  not  come  into  view  again  until  January  6  of 
the  new  year.  We  did  not  experience  any  great  amount  of 'inconven- 
ience on  account  of  the  darkness,  even  after  the  sun  had  disappeared, 
as  there  was  always  at  least  four  hours  of  moderately  good  daylight, 
and  the  nights,  when  the  moon  was  full  or  nearly  so,  were  almost  as 
bright  as  day. 

During  this  period  of  short  days  the  movements  of  the  command 
were  of  course  somewhat  restricted,  and  short  trips  away  from  the 
vessel  only  were  practicable.  There  was,  however,  plenty  of  work 
to  do  to  occupy  the  time,  and  almost  unnoticed  the  time  passed  and 
the  lengthening  of  the  days  gave  promise  of  the  return  of  the  sun. 
Christmas  and  the  holidays  passed  very  quietly,  and  the  beginning  of 
the  new  year  found  us  again  busy  cutting  wood  and  hauling  it  to  the 
vessel  to  replenish  the  supply  of  fuel,  which  was  now  getting  too  low 
for  comfort. 

The  first  week  of  January  was  marked  by  exceedingly  cold  weather. 
The  temperature  for  three  da}^s  in  succession  was  never  higher  than 
—  56°  F. ,  and  fell  as  low  as  —  62°  F.  During  this  time  we  experienced 
some  difficulty  in  keeping  the  vessel  warm,  especially  on  the  lower 
deck,  but  by  keeping  the  doors  and  all  approaches  to  that  part  of  the 
ship  closed  and  sealed  up,  and  by  the  use  of  tarpaulins  to  prevent  as 
far  as  possible  the  escape  of  heat  radiated  from  the  boilers,  we  man- 
aged to  pass  through  this  period  of  exceptionally  cold  weather,  if  not 
comfortably,  at  least  without  any  great  amount  of  suffering,  and  the 
fact  that  it  is  entirely  feasible  to  live  on  a  vessel  built  like  the  Nunivah 
during  the  coldest  kind  of  weather  was  established  beyond  a  doubt. 

During  this  cold  snap  all  travel  on  the  river  and  over  the  adjacent 
trails  ceased,  and  the  Nunivah  became  the  asylum  of  some  half  a  dozen 
traveling  parties  who  applied  to  us  for  shelter.  It  was  easier  to  take 
care  of  the  men  forming  these  parties  than  their  dogs,  for  the  arrival 
of  each  strange  team  was  a  signal  for  a  general  fight  between  our  own 


52 

dogs  and  the  newcomers,  and  finally,  after  settling  among  themselves 
the  question  of  supremacy  by  numerous  bloody  battles,  the  whole 
community,  consisting  of  some  50  or  more  dogs,  would  pass  the  nights 
howling  and  baying  the  moon.  With  the  most  hospitable  inclinations, 
therefore,  it  was  still  with  a  feeling  of  relief  that  we  bade  good-by  to 
our  guests  when  the  weather  moderated  and  they  proceeded  on  their 
several  ways. 

On  January  11  Lieutenant  Blake  and  Assistant  Engineer  Wood  left 
Fort  Shoemaker  with  a  dog  team  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  sled 
trip  over  the  Koyukuk  trail  to  the  mountains  which  form  the  divide 
between  the  headwaters  of  the  Dall  and  the  Koyukuk  rivers  to  ascer- 
tain the  nature  of  the  country  and  to  gain  practical  knowledge  of 
winter  traveling.  They  were,  however,  driven  back  to  the  ship  by 
the  intense  cold  weather  encountered  on  the  first  dav  of  their  proposed 
journey,  not  however  before  they  had  gone  through  the  experience  of 
making  camp  and  sleeping  in  a  tent  in  a  temperature  of  —56°  F.  It 
was  found  to  be  impossible  for  them  to  break  camp  and  pack  their 
effects  on  the  sled  during  the  prevalence  of  such  excessively  cold 
weather,  so  they  left  all  standing  and  beat  a  retreat  to  the  ship  to 
await  for  more  favorable  conditions.  A  fresh  start  was  made  by  the 
same  officers  on  the  21st  of  January,  and  after  accomplishing  the  task 
set  before  them  in  a  very  thorough  manner  they  returned  to  head- 
quarters after  an  absence  of  two  weeks.  Lieutenant  Blake's  report 
of  the  journey  and  his  chart  of  the  ground  covered  during  the  trip  is 
herewith  appended. 

As  soon  after  the  holidays  as  the  lengthening  days  made  traveling 
practicable  the  Indians  living  in  our  neighborhood  began  to  leave 
their  winter  quarters  and  to  go  into  the  mountains  on  their  annual 
winter  hunting  expeditions  after  moose  and  caribou.  There  appeared 
to  be  no  regular  set  time  for  their  departure,  each  hunter  and  his 
family  seeming  to  leave  whenever  the  notion  struck  him  or  when  it 
was  most  convenient  to  do  so.  As  a  rule  the  old  men  went  first  and 
the  young  bucks  followed  in  the  trails  made  by  their  elders,  not  so 
much  as  a  sign  of  deference  to  age  it  is  feared,  as  because  in  this  wav- 
they  avoided  the  hard  work  of  breaking  the  first  trails.  By  the  first 
week  in  February  the  winter  villages  were  practically  deserted  by  all 
the  Indians  except  the  very  old  or  feeble  ones,  and  these  were  in  many 
cases  left  to  shift  for  themselves. 

One  of  our  near  neighbors,  an  Indian  named  Sam,  who  came  to  bid 
us  good-by  before  starting  off  on  his  annual  hunt,  informed  us  that 
his  old  mother  would  be  left  behind,  and  in  the  course  of  the  conver- 
sation the  fact  developed  that  the  old  woman  was  to  be  left  without 
any  food  or  means  of  procuring  any  during  his  absence.  "But,"  we 
exclaimed,  "what  will  she  do?"  UI  don't  know,"  he  answered;  "me 
tink  bymeby  she  starve  maybe."    This  was  said  in  a  way  to  suggest 


<  5 

\-  < 

?< 

<  -I 

O 

o 


53 

the  thought  that,  according  to  his  way  of  looking  at  the  matter,  that 
event  would  not  be  of  any  great  importance  or  cause  of  great  regret. 
We  came  to  learn  by  longer  intercourse  with  the  Indians  that  Sam's 
apparent  indifference  to  the  fate  of  his  old  mother  is  t}Tpical  of  the 
race.  They  are  extremely  unemotional,  and  generations  of  bitter 
struggle  against  adverse  conditions  have  rendered  them  almost  insensi- 
ble to  the  ordinary  appeals  of  humanity.  They  are  not,  however,  lack- 
ing in  either  generosity  or  affection,  as  is  manifested  in  the  tender 
regard  the}T  all  have  for  their  children  and  for  each  other  in  times  of 
plenty.  But  when  the  pinch  of  poverty  or  want  comes,  with  very  few 
exceptions,  these  people  display  an  amount  of  stoicism  and  lack  of 
feeling  which  is  remarkable  when  the  fact  of  their  long  intercourse 
with  the  whites  is  considered. 

The  middle  of  January  saw  the  advance  guard  of  the  army  of 
travelers  bound  for  the  new  gold  fields  of  Nome  on  their  way  down 
the  river,  and  from  this  time  until  the  cessation  of  winter  travel  on 
the  river,  in  the  spring,  a  steady  stream  of  adventurous  fortune- 
hunters  passed  our  station  on  their  way  to  the  coast.  With  few  excep- 
tions they  passed  without  stopping  at  Fort  Shoemaker,  as  they  all 
appeared  to  be  in  too  great  a  hurry  to  reach  their  destination  to  delay 
for  the  purpose  of  exchanging  mere  civilities.  It  is  a  remarkable 
fact,  in  connection  with  this  stampede  of  people  to  Nome,  that  of  the 
thousands  of  travelers,  man}T  of  whom  were  without  an}T  previous 
experience  of  the  vicissitudes  of  arctic  travel,  practically  none  of  them 
suffered  any  serious  injuries  as  a  result  of  their  long  and  arduous  journey. 
Although  we  took  pains  to  have  those  traveling  informed  of  the  fact 
that  medical  aid  would  be  furnished  free  of  charge  to  anyone  requiring 
it  upon  application  to  the  Xunivak,  I  do  not  think  that  our  surgeon 
was  called  upon  more  than  a  half  dozen  times  for  assistance  during 
the  entire  winter. 

Spring  at  Fort  Shoemaker  opened  as  gradually  as  winter  had  set  in. 
There  were  no  violent  storms  which  in  other  regions  characterize  the 
change  of  seasons,  and,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  windy  days 
or  an  occasional  heavy  fall  of  snow,  February  and  March  passed  and 
the  long,  bright,  sunny  days  of  April  came  upon  us  without  any 
meteorological  disturbance  worth}'  of  note. 

The  signs  of  spring  were  eagerly  looked  for,  and  I  believe  the  wil- 
lows first  showed  evidences  of  renewed  life.  The  buds  began  to  swell 
on  the  trees  favored  by  the  sun,  the  bare  branches  and  twigs  lost  their 
reddish  tinge  and  assumed  more  and  more  the  greenish  brown  color 
of  their  vernal  covering,  and  all  at  once,  it  seemed,  the  catkins  burst 
their  bonds  and  boldly  wooed  the  warm,  life-giving  sunlight. 

Snow  began  to  melt  on  the  trails  and  on  exposed  hillsides  early  in 
March  and  made  the  work  of  hauling  wood  to  the  vessel  extremely 
arduous.     Bv  the  middle  of  the  month  the  condition  of  the  trail  was 


54 

so  bad  that  sledding  was  impossible  except  during  the  early  hours  of 
the  day,  before  the  heat  of  the  sun  melted  the  snow. 

On  the  6th  of  March  1  noted  the  first  appearance  in  the  woods  of  a 
flock  of  warblers  (Dendroica  Striata),  and  although  we  had  short 
periods  of  very  cold  weather  after  that  date,  the  middle  part  of  the 
days  was,  as  a  usual  thing,  warm  and  pleasant.  The  snow  rapidly 
disappeared  from  the  ground,  the  trails  became  running  rivulets  of 
muddy^  water,  and  the  vernal  foliage  burst  into  bloom  with  a  sudden- 
ness that  was  amazing.  On  all  sides  now  could  be  heard  the  blessed 
sound  of  running  water  trickling  over  the  steep  banks  or  babbling  up 
in  tiny  runnels  from  hidden  springs  over  which  the  iron  hand  of 
winter  was  still  held,  but  with  a  weakened  and  relaxing  grasp. 

On  the  26th  of  March  the  work  of  cutting  the  ice  from  around  the 
vessel  was  begun  and  by  April  3  she  was  all  clear  and  ready  to  float 
when  the  river  should  break  up. 

The  first  week  in  April  was  marked  by  a  period  of  disagreeable 
weather  such  as  we  had  not  experienced  during  the  entire  winter.  1 
quote  from  my  journal  of  April  4: 

The  weather  is  cold  and  raw  and  is  actually  more  disagreeable  than  during  the 
coldest  days  of  midwinter.  All  bird  life  has  disappeared  and  even  the  omnipresent 
camp  robbers  (Perisoreus  Canadensis)  have  deserted  the  vicinity  of  the  ship  and 
retreated  for  shelter  to  the  dense  thickets  along  the  river  banks.  A  high  wind  is 
blowing  on  the  Yukon,  and  although  we  can  not  feel  it  in  our  sheltered  position  at 
Fort  Shoemaker,  its  force  is  apparent  from  the  swaying  of  the  tree  tops  and  the  pres- 
ence in  the  air  of  a  cloud  of  flying  snow  particles  which  make  it  exceedingly 
unpleasant  to  remain  out  of  doors  any  length  of  time.  In  the  midst  of  the  gale 
one  of  our  Indian  neighbors,  "  Dummy  Isaac,"  started  out  on  a  moose  hunt,  as  it 
is  under  such  conditions  of  wind  and  weather  that  the  shy  animal  can  be  easiest 
approached.  As  he  staggered  past  the  vessel  I  noted  the  fact  that  he  had  only  his 
rifle,  snow  shoes,  and  a  small  bag  in  which  he  carried  his  ammunition  and  a  scanty 
supply  of  food.  No  blanket,  sled,  or  tent  was  taken  along,  and  although  he  might 
be  gone  three  or  four  days  on  the  trip  he  would  be  without  shelter  of  any  kind 
except  what  the  woods  afforded  during  the  whole  of  that  time. 

On  April  8  a  starving  prospector  limped  painfully  in  from  the 
Koyakuk  trail  and  was  given  shelter  and  food  on  the  Nunivak.  At 
the  time  of  his  arrival  suffering  and  privation  had  caused  his  mind  to 
wander  and  it  was  not  until  several  days  afterwards  that  he  was  suffi- 
ciently recovered  to  tell  his  story. 

His  name  was  Samuel  Morris  and  he  had  started  from  the  Kx^ukuk 
country  late  in  March  with  a  dog  team,  but  upon  reaching  the  divide 
he  had  been  overtaken  by  a  severe  snowstorm,  in  the  midst  of  which  he 
lost  the  trail  and  wandered  aimlessly  around  for  several  days  until  all 
of  his  food  had  been  exhausted,  when  he  mercifully  turned  his  dogs 
loose  from  the  sled  to  give  them  a  chance  to  reach  some  settlement. 
How  he  reached  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Shoemaker  he  never  knew,  as 
after  abandoning  his  sled  he  became  bewildered  and  wandered  on  with- 


1 
IM1VERSITY 

OF 


55 

out  sense  of  direction  or  distance  until  he  finally  met  one  of  the  crew 
of  the  Nunivak  who  was  out  hunting  and  who  brought  him  to  the 
vessel. 

There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  the  disappearance  of  men  in  this 
country  has  been,  in  many  cases,  the  direct  result  of  f  oolhardy  attempts 
to  travel  alone.  Such  attempts  are  usually  made  by  men  who  leave  no 
record  by  which  they  can  be  traced,  and  their  disappearance  is  never 
noticed  until  long  after  any  effort  to  render  assistance  to  them  in  case 
of  disaster  would  be  of  any  use.  A  bleaching  skeleton,  a  mass  of  tat- 
tered and  unrecognizable  rags,  and  a  few  scattered  articles  of  camp 
outfit,  which  might  be  the  property  of  any  prospector,  may  sometimes 
be  found  to  tell  the  sad  story  of  starvation  and  death.  But  it  is  a 
tragedy  which  has  been  played  out  to  the  bitter  end  without  an  audi- 
ence by  an  actor  whose  name  will  never  be  known,  and  in  silence  which 
is  only  broken  by  the  wailing  of  the  wind  as  it  spreads  a  mantle  of 
snow  over  the  fallen  form  and  sobs,  and  hurries  on. 

A  heavy  rain  fell  on  April  15,  causing  numerous  leaks  in  the  upper 
or  hurricane  deck  to  appear,  through  which  the  water  entered  and  our 
living  quarters  were  soaked.  The  constant  heat  maintained  throughout 
the  winter  had  no  doubt  caused  the  seams  to  open,  and  nothing  could 
be  done  to  remedy  the  evil  until  the  woodwork  of  the  upper  deck  had 
become  thoroughly  saturated  with  moisture  and  by  swelling  would 
return  to  its  original  position.  Fortunately  the  downpour  was  not  of 
long  duration,  and  before  a  second  shower  came  the  leaks  had  almost 
disappeared. 

The  annual  migration  of  the  geese  and  ducks  was  eagerly  looked  for 
by  all  hands,  and  hardly  any  incident  of  the  year  caused  as  much  excite- 
ment as  did  the  loud  w,honk,  honk,  ho-unk"  of  a  flock  of  geese  which 
passed  over  the  vessel  from  the  southeast  on  the  morning  of  April  20. 
Men  dropped  whatever  work  they  happened  to  be  engaged  in  to  gaze 
on  the  welcome  sight,  and  the  air  was  filled  with  cries  more  or  less 
gooselike  in  character  to  entice  the  migrants  to  alight.  They,  however, 
flew  on  without  stopping,  evidently  bound  for  some  more  likely  feed- 
ing ground  farther  north.  In  a  week  more  the  air  by  night  and  day 
was  filled  with  the  sound  of  millions  of  beating  wings  and  the  noisy 
clangor  of  arriving  parties  of  geese  and  ducks.  The  hundreds  of  small 
lakes  and  lagoons  which  dotted  the  surface  of  the  country  to  the  north- 
west of  Fort  Shoemaker  were  now  free  of  ice  and  were  soon  filled  with 
the  feathered  visitants. 

The  gunners  of  the  party  now  spent  most  of  their  spare  time  hunting 
the  birds,  and  succeeded  in  killing  enough  to  furnish  all  the  messes 
with  an  agreeable  change  of  diet.  But  at  this  season  the  ducks  and 
geese  are  in  poor  condition,  and  it  really  hardly  pays  to  shoot  them. 
By  the  latter  part  of  April  the  ice  in  the  Dall,  which  was  from  5  to  6 


56 

feet  thick,  began  to  show  signs  of  breaking  up.     I  quote  from  my 
journal  of  April  28: 

Overcast  and  soft  mild  weather.  Temperature,  maximum,  48°  F. ;  minimum, 
27°  F. 

The  ice  in  the  Dall  is  melting  rapidly,  and  large  quantities  of  discolored  water  are 
flowing  over  the  surface  of  the  river.  We  cut  a  trench  in  the  ice  so  as  to  turn  the 
water  into  the  ditch  surrounding  the  ship,  and  at  1  p.  m.,  with  a  hardly  perceptible 
jar,  she  rose  from  her  winter  bed  in  the  mud  and  floated. 

Owing  to  the  impassable  condition  of  the  trails  on  the  Yukon  the  mailman  has 
discontinued  his  weekly  trips  by  dog  team,  and  our  next  mail  will  not  be  received 
until  the  opening  of  .boat  navigation. 

Mosquitoes  of  large  size  were  observed  to-day  for  the  first  time,  but  are  not  as  yet 
very  troublesome.  Flies  and  numerous  insects  were  also  noted  during  a  short  walk 
I  took  through  the  woods.  Daylight  lasts  from  3.30  a.  m.  until  10  p.  m.,  and  even 
at  midnight  it  is  merely  twilight,  not  dark. 

On  April  30  I  noted  in  my  journal  that — 

The  Dall  River  ice  is  rotting  and  breaking  up  fast.  Large  masses  of  it  floated 
down  the  river  and  jammed  at  the  mouth,  where  its  further  progress  was  arrested  by 
the  ice  in  the  Yukon,  which  is  as  yet  solid  and  immovable.  Pike  weighing  as  much 
as  6  pounds  were  seen  in  the  water  around  the  ship  to-day,  and  a  number  of  this 
fine  fish  were  obtained  by  shooting  them  with  a  rifle.     They  will  not  take  a  hook. 

The  sound  of  running  water,  the  smell  of  growing  plants  and  blooming  flowers, 
and,  above  all,  the  sight  of  moving  masses  of  soft  cumulous  clouds  in  the  sky,  are 
cheering  evidences  that  the  long,  dreadful  stillness  of  winter  is  at  last  broken  and 
spring  is  at  hand. 

The  ice  in  the  Dall  continued  to  run  with  more  or  less  force  until 
the  14th  of  May,  at  which  date  the  river  was  practically  clear.  The 
water  began  to  rise  gradually  at  this  time  and  the  Indians  predicted 
that  the  Yukon  would  be  open  inside  of  a  week.  It  hardly  seemed 
possible.     Again  I  quote  from  my  jourual: 

As  the  time  approaches  when  we  may  reasonably  hope  to  be  released  from  our 
winter  quarters,  it  is  a  curious  fact  that  everyone  seems  to  be  more  impatient  and 
irritable  than  during  the  winter  months.  It  is  possible  that  the  excessively  long 
days  now  make  it  more  difficult  to  get  a  sufficient  amount  of  sleep,  and  this  may 
account  in  a  measure  for  the  phenomena.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  fact  remains  that 
everyone  is  more  or  less  destrait  and  uncommunicative.  Even  the  dogs  seem  to 
share  in  the  general  feeling  of  gloomy  irritability,  and  from  having  been  as  a  usual 
thing  extremely  affectionate  and  playful,  are  now  illnatured,  quarrelsome,  and 
morose. 

The  ice  in  the  Yukon  had  for  two  weeks  shown  signs  of  disintegra- 
tion, especially  along  the  shore  where  the  surface  snow-water  collected 
in  pools  it  had  slowly  melted  and  broken  away  from  the  banks,  form- 
ing in  this  manner  lateral  streams  of  sluggish  water  which  daily 
increased  in  volume  and  force  until  the  whole  body  of  ice  seemed  to 
have  been  undermined  by  the  current,  and  on  the  16th  of  May  it  rose 
quietly  from  its  resting  place  on  the  sand  bars  and  moved  downstream 
in  a  solid  mass  a  distance  of  about  a  thousand  yards.     Here  it  jammed 


R  A  R rp5s^ 

Or    THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


57 

and  the  immense  field  of  solid  ice  was  broken  into  fragments  and  piled 
onto  the  shoal  bars  and  along  the  banks  of  the  stream  in  the  wildest 
confusion. 

Coincident  with  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice  in  the  Yukon,  the  water 
in  the  Dall  rose  very  rapidly  and  a  new  danger  threatened  the  safety 
of  the  vessel.     I  quote  from  my  journal  of  May  17: 

Fine,  clear  weather.     Temperature,  maximum  50°  F. ;  minimum,  34°  F. 

The  opening  of  the  Yukon  seems  to  have  thrown  so  much  water  into  the  Dall  that 
the  current  in  the  latter  stream  has  almost  ceased,  and  I  fear  that  if  a  jam  in  the 
main  river  takes  place  below  us  we  will  be  compelled  to  move  farther  upstream  in 
order  to  avoid  being  crushed  by  the  inflow  of  ice.  Every  preparation  for  a  sudden 
move  was  therefore  made,  fhe  lines  by  which  the  Nunivak  was  held  to  the  shore 
were  singled  up  and  steam  was  ordered  to  be  ready  for  immediate  use.  Later  in  the 
day,  while  I  was  anxiously  watching  the  ice  in  the  Yukon,  which  was  at  the  time 
moving  downstream  at  the  rate  of  7  to  8  miles  per  hour,  a  deaf  and  dumb  Indian  of 
our  acquaintance,  named  Isaac,  approached  me,  and  with  every  evidence  of  great 
excitement  finally  gave  me  to  understand  that  an  ice  jam  in  the  Yukon  was  immi- 
nent, and  if  it  did  occur  we  would  have  to  move  upstream  in  the  Dall.  I  at  once 
informed  Captain  Young,  of  the  steamer  Leah,  of  the  danger,  and  as  his  vessel  was 
already  under  steam  I  requested  him  to  watch  the  ice  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and 
if  it  should  begin  to  move  up  the  Dall  to  give  us  warning  by  sounding  his  steam 
whistle.  I  then  returned  to  the  Nunivak  to  hasten  our  preparations  for  moving.  The 
day  ended  with  a  strong  southwest  wind  and  a  heavy  downpour  of  rain. 

At  midnight  we  were  aroused  by  a  warning  blast  of  the  Leatts  whis- 
tle, and  a  few  moments  afterwards  she  was  seen  coming  upstream  stern 
foremost,  sounding  her  whistle  continuously.  At  12.10  a.  m.  she 
came  up  with  the  Nunivak,  and  I  was  informed  by  Captain  Young 
that  the  ice  was  beginning  to  run  up  the  Dall  and  that  we  did  not 
have  a  moment  to  spare.  Lines*  were  quickly  cast  off  from  the  bank 
and  transferred  to  the  Leah,  and  just  as  the  ice  was  seen  coming 
around  the  lower  bend  of  the  Dall  both  vessels  started  upstream. 

The  abrupt  bends  of  the  river  and  the  large  size  of  the  Nunivak 
made  the  work  of  navigation  very  difficult;  but  with  the  able  assist- 
ance of  the  Leah,  under  the  management  of  Captain  Young,  we  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  about  3  miles  up  the  Dall  and  safely  mooring  along- 
side a  steep  bank.  We  had  hardly  accomplished  this  work  when  the 
ice  swept  past  us  in  huge  masses,  traveling  at  the  rate  of  from  3  to  4 
miles  per  hour,  and  although  we  received  some  hard  blows  the  force 
of  the  impact  was  so  much  weakened  by  the  jamming  of  the  ice  in  the 
narrow  and  tortuous  channel  that  no  material  damage  was  sustained. 
A  few  broken  wheel  buckets,  and  half  a  dozen  windows  in  the  lower 
house  which  were  broken  by  sweeping  branches,  completed  the  list  of 
our  injuries.  At  -4  a.  m.  the  ice  ceased  it's  upward  movement  and 
shortly  afterwards  turned  and  began  to  run  downstream.  By  noon 
of  the  18th  the  Dall  was  again  clear  of  ice,  but  not  deeming  it  prudent 
to  take  any  chances  we  remained  upstream  until  the  afternoon  of  the 
next  da}T,  when  we  dropped  back  to  our  old  landing  at  Fort  Shoemaker. 
5661—03 8 


58 

On  May  20  the  steamer  Leah  left*  Dall  River,  bound  for  Dawson, 
but  as  it  was  not  my  intention  to  venture  out  into  the  Yukon  until  the 
river  was  clear  of  the  floating  driftwood,  which  always  follows  the  ice 
downstream,  and  still  not  wishing  to  have  any  vessel  pass  us  without 
being  subjected  to  examination,  I  detailed  Lieutenant  Camden  to 
accompany  the  Leah  on  her  journey  up  the  Yukon  as  far  as  Circle  City 
for  the  purpose  of  boarding  and  examining  any  vessels  encountered 
on  the  way  which  otherwise  might  escape  our  scrutiny. 

Lieutenant  Camden  was  also  directed  to  obtain  such  information  in 
regard  to  the  Yukon  as  would  be  possible  while  on  the  trip,  which 
would  enable  us  to  extend  our  chart  of  the  river  over  the  part  so  vis- 
ited. A  small  boat  was  furnished  Mr.  Camden  in  which  the  return 
trip  was  to  be  made,  and  he  was  accompanied  on  the  expedition  by  Mr. 
Philip  Godley,  an  agent  of  the  Census  Bureau,  who  had  been  at  work 
several  weeks  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Shoemaker,  gathering  statistics 
in  regard  to  the  population,  and  who  volunteered  to  accompany  Mr. 
Camden  on  his  trip  to  Circle  City  and  to  assist  him  in  handling  the 
small  boat  on  his  way  back  to  the  ship. 

While  we  were  waiting  for  better  conditions  to  prevail  in  the  Yukon 
before  venturing  out  in  the  Nunivak,  the  crew  was  set  at  work 
painting  the  outside  of  the  vessel,  as  we  found  that  in  many  places  the 
excessive  cold  weather  of  winter  had  caused  the  paint  to  peel  off  and 
leave  the  planking  as  bare  as  if  it  had  been  burned.  This  work  occu- 
pied the  crew  for  a  week,  and  I  took  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to 
spend  the  greater  portion  of  each  day  in  the  woods  gathering  speci- 
mens for  our  natural  history  collection.  The  willow  thickets  near  the 
ship  seemed  to  be  a  favorite  nesting  and  breeding  ground  for  the 
myriads  of  small  birds  which  had  arrived  from  their  southern  homes 
and  taken  up  their  quarters  for  the  summer.  The  air  was  filled  with 
the  sweet  notes  of  their  caroling,  and  they  were  apparently  so  free 
from  all  sense  of  fear  that  it  seemed  a  pity  to  take  the  lives  of  even 
the  small  number  required  as  specimens.  Among  the  few  birds  which 
remained  in  the  vicinity  of  the  vessel  during  the  winter  were  the 
Canada  jays  (Perisoreus  canadensis),  and  it  was  amusing  to  note  their 
apparent  resentment  of  the  coming  of  the  summer  visitants.  On  one 
occasion  I  saw  a  jay  coax  a  small  warbler  within  reach  \>x  giving  vent 
to  a  series  of  soft,  alluring  calls,  ujitil  the  smaller  bird  was  within  strik- 
ing distance  when  it  was  suddenly  set  upon  and  given  a  severe  beating 
by  the  treacherous  jay.  After  this  work  had  been  done  to  his  satis- 
faction, the  jay  perched  himself  on  the  highest  limb  of  a  neighboring 
tree  and  set  up  a  most  unearthly  caterwauling,  as  if  to  warn  all  other 
warblers  not  to  come  on  ground  which  he  evidently  considered  as  the 
property  of  himself  and  his  kind  alone. 


CHAPTER  V. 


Before  leaving  our  winter  quarters  at  Fort  Shoemaker  I  received 
information  of  the  departure  of  the  steamer  Florence  S,  a  Canadian 
vessel,  from  Dawson,  bound  for  the  Koyukuk  River  with  a  party  of 
miners  and  prospectors,  and  as  it  was  important  that  the  vessel  should 
be  boarded  and  examined  before  she  left  the  Yukon,  I  stopped  at  Fort 
Hamlin  to  await  her  arrival. 

While  lying  at  Fort  Hamlin,  Frederick  Edwards  and  James  Cam- 
eron, two  prospectors  bound  for  Nome,  applied  to  me  for  passage  to 
the  coast.  The  men  claimed  that  they  had  originally  started  down  the 
river  in  a  small  boat  in  company  with  two  other  men,  it  being  under- 
stood that  all  the  party  should  share  equally  in  the  labor  and  expense 
of  making  the  trip.  After  reaching  this  point,  however,  they  fell  to 
quarreling,  and  Edwards  and  Cameron  were  forced  to  leave  the  boat 
by  their  two  companions,  and  were  put  on  shore  at  Fort  Hamlin 
without  food  or  money  to  make  the  rest  of  the  journey  down  the  river 
as  best  they  could.  Under  these  circumstances  I  received  the  men  on 
board  and  issued  them  rations  for  their  subsistence  until  we  should 
reach  the  coast,  or  until  they  could  secure  employment  on  the  river. 
Hundreds  of  small  boats,  scows,  and  rafts-  were  now  daily  seen  on 
their  way  down  stream,  filled  with  men  and  women  of  all  classes  and 
nationalities  bound  for  Nome  or  other  places  from  which  reports  of 
new  gold  discoveries  had  spread  to  tempt  them  into  making  the  long, 
wearisome  journey.  As  we  made  our  way  slowly  down  the  river  these 
adventurous  parties  were  constantly  being  overhauled,  and  hardly  a 
day  passed  that  we  were  not  called  upon  to  render  assistance  to  some 
wrecked  or  stranded  party,  or  to  settle  some  question  of  disputed 
ownership  of  property  between  discontented  and  quarreling  travelers. 
It  was  not  unusual  to  see,  floating  down  the  river  side  by  side,  the  two 
ends  of  a  boat  which  had  been  cut  into  equal  parts  and  patched  up  so 
as  to  afford  transportation  to  both  portions  of  some  disrupted  party 
which  had  taken  this  novel  and  heroic  means  of  settling  its  differences. 

Most  of  the  boats  were  constructed  in  the  crudest  manner  and 
loaded  to  the  guards  with  everything  likely  to  be  of  value  or  profit  in 
a  mining  camp.  Boats  and  rafts,  piled  high  with  shovels,  picks, 
stoves,  clothing,  food  supplies,  etc.,  in  the  midst  of  which,  perhaps, 


60 

an  assortment  of  restless  and  hungry  dogs  gave  vent  to  their  discon- 
tent in  lugubrious  howls;  scow  loads  of  horses  gazing  wistfully  at  the 
green  shores,  with  now  and  then  a  lonely  looking  cow  or  beef  cattle, 
worried  and  stung  night  and  day  by  clouds  of  vicious  mosquitoes, 
floated  by  us  on  the  placid  surface  of  the  mighty  river,  all  bound  for 
that  distant  land  of  promise  and  prospective  wealth,  Nome. 

It  was  amusing  to  note  the  leisurely  manner  in  which  some  of  the 
travelers  floated  down  the  river,  protected  from  the  hot  rays  of  the 
sun  by  improvised  awnings,  while  others  of  less  philosphical  temper- 
ament would  be  pulling  away  at  their  oars  as  if  life  itself  depended 
upon  the  utmost  speed. 

I  have  mentioned  a  few  incidents  of  the  Nome  stampede,  not  so 
much  because  it  is  pertinent  to  this  report  as  for  the  reason  that  it 
must  always  be  accepted  as  one  of  the  remarkable  incidents  in  the  his- 
tory of  Alaska.  From  the  beginning  of  winter  travel  on  the  Yukon 
until  the  end  of  the  summer  of  1900  it  is  probable  that  upward  of  3,000 
people  made  their  way  by  dog  team,  or  by  tramping  and  pulling  their 
own  sleds,  and  by  small  boats  down  the  river  to  the  coast.  Many  per- 
sons never  reached  their  original  destination,  but  either  became  dis- 
heartened on  the  way  or  turned  aside  to  prospect  more  recently  dis- 
covered gold  fields  than  those  in  the  Nome  district.  But  taken  alto- 
gether this  great  stampede  of  gold  seekers  must  be  considered  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  movements  of  the  kind  which  has  ever  occurred 
in  the  world's  history  of  the  search  for  the  yellow  metal. 

On  May  27  the  Canadian  steamer  Florence  S,  having  on  board  some 
40  passengers  bound  for  Peavy,  on  the  Koyukuk  River,  arrived  at 
Fort  Hamlin.  Upon  being  boarded  by  an  officer  from  the  Nunivak 
she  was  found  to  be  in  ch,arge.of  a  custodian  appointed  by  the  collector 
of  customs  at  Circle  Cit}^  with  instructions  to  report  to  the  Nunivak 
for  further  orders  before  entering  the  Koyukuk,  where  there  is  no 
customs  officer  stationed.  The  master  of  the  vessel  informed  me  that 
he  had  received  verbal  permission  from  the  United  States  consul  at 
Dawson  to  engage  in  traffic  on  the  voyage  to  and  from  his  destined 
port  within  the  territory  of  the  United  States.  I  told  him  that  the  law 
strictly  prohibited  any  vessel  other  than  one  documented  as  a  vessel 
of  the  United  States  from  engaging  in  local  traffic  within  our  terri- 
tory, and  if  he  did  so  it  would  be  my  duty  to  seize  his  vessel.  After 
giving  the  custodian  similar  instructions  and  orders  to  communicate 
with  the  Nunivah  after  completing  the  voyage  up  the  Koyukuk,  the 
Florence  S  was  allowed  to  proceed. 

We  dropped  down  the  river  next  day  to  the  Pioneer  coal  mine, 
where  a  stop  was  made  to  take  on  a  supply  of  coal. 

Lieutenant  Camden  and  Mr.  Godley  returned  to  the  ship  from  their 
trip  up  the  river  on  the  29th  of  May.  Mr.  Camden  reported  that  he 
had  reached  Circle  City  and  while  there  had  boarded  the  steamer 


61 

Florence  8,  and  had  advised  with  the  collector  of  customs  as  to  the 
best  way  of  allowing  her  to  proceed.  Copious  notes  for  the  chart  for 
a  distance  of  355  miles  of  the  steamboat  channel  of  the  Yukon  were 
made,  and  much  other  valuable  information  of  the  region  traversed 
was  obtained.  The  return  trip  to  the  Nunivak  was  made  in  fifty -four 
hours,  and  Mr.  Camden  estimated  the  strength  of  the  current  in  this 
part  of  the  river  to  be  7  miles  per  hour.  A  full  report  of  the  journey 
of  Lieutenant  Camden  is  herewith  appended. 

Having  received  on  board  65  tons  of  coal,  we  left  the  Pioneer  mine 
on  the  morning  of  May  30  and  ran  to  Rampart  City.  A  stop  was 
made  at  this  place  to  communicate  with  the  authorities. 

On  June  1  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company's  steamer  Victoria, 
bound  for  the  Koyukuk  River,  arrived  at  Rampart,  and  upon  examina- 
tion was  found  to  be  without  marine  documents  of  any  kind  on  board. 
The  vessel  was  accordingly  seized.  In  view  of  the  fact,  however,  that 
she  was  on  her  way  to  the  upper  waters  of  the  Koyukuk  with  sup- 
plies and  provisions  for  the  mining  camps  in  that  locality,  which  had 
been  reported  as  being  in  distress,  I  granted  the  master  of  the  vessel 
permission  to  proceed  on  the  voyage,  but  with  the  understanding 
that  he  was  to  immediately  return,  after  landing  the  supplies,  to  St. 
Michael  and  there  deliver  the  Victoria  into  the  custody  of  the  collector 
of  customs  at  that  place  for  trial. 

After  a  pleasant  sojourn  of  four  days  at  Rampart,  during  which 
time  the  command  was  the  recipient  of  many  kind  attentions  from  the 
hospitable  community,  we  took  our  departure  on  June  5  and  stood  on 
our  way  down  the  river. 

During  the  afternoon  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company's  steamer 
Leah  from  Dawson  was  boarded,  and  having  ascertained  from  Captain 
Young  that  he  was  bound  on  a  voyage  up  the  Koyukuk  River,  and 
being  desirous  of  obtaining  some  information  in  regard  to  the  traffic 
on  that  stream,  I  directed  Lieutenant  Camden  to  take  passage  on  the 
Leah  for  the  trip  and  to  return  to  the  Nunivak  at  Nulato  by  June  20. 
The  objects  to  be  attained  by-  Lieutenant  Camden  while  on  this  duty 
are  set  forth  in  the  orders  given  him  before  leaving  the  Nunivak,  a 
copy  of  which  is  herewith  appended. 

On  June  7  we  passed  through  the  Rampart  Rapids  and  narrowly 
escaped  getting  ashore  on  an  island,  which  was  covered  with  water  at 
this  stage  of  the  river,  but  which  was  exposed  at  the  time  of  our  pas- 
sage upstream.  In  passing  through  the  narrow  gorge  we  were  run- 
ning at  a  rate  of  20  miles  per  hour,  and  it  was  only  by  the  exercise  of 
exceedingly  good  judgment  and  some  very  quick  work  by  Lieutenant 
Blake,  who  was  handling  the  vessel  at  the  time,  that  the  danger  was 
avoided.  Without  further  mishap  we  reached  Fort  Gibbon  at  noon 
and  made  fast  to  the  shore  during  the  prevalence  of  a  violent  rain 
squall.     In  *pite  of  the  inclement  weather,  Major  Booth  and  his  staff 


62 

of  officers  were  on  hand  to  welcome  our  return  from  winter  quarters 
and  to  extend  to  the  ship  a  cordial  invitation  to  remain  as  long  as  pos- 
sible at  the  post  and  renew  the  pleasant  friendships  that  had  been 
formed  at  the  time  of  our  first  visit. 

Many  new  buildings  had  been  erected  at  the  post  during  the  winter, 
and  the  sight  of  well-made  dwellings,  graded  streets,  and  the  constant 
hum  of  machinery  gave  the  place  an  air  of  civilization  somewhat  out 
of  keeping  with  its  wild  surroundings.  Major  Booth  informed  me 
that  the  sawmill  at  the  post  had  been  kept  in  operation  nearly  every 
day  during  the  winter,  and  had  been  of  immense  assistance  in  supply- 
ing lumber  for  the  construction  of  the  buildings  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  the  members  of  his  command.  There  were  at  the  time  of  our 
visit  165  enlisted  men  on  duty  at  the  post  and  about  the  same  number 
of  civilian  employees  at  work  on  the  premises. 

Assistant  Engineer  Wood  having  reported  some  slight  repairs  to  the 
machinery  as  being  necessary,  I  directed  him  to  have  the  work  done 
here,  where  a  good  blacksmith  shop  had  been  put  at  our  disposal 
through  the  courtesy  of  Major  Booth. 

While  lying  at  Fort  Gibbon  several  vessels  bound  down  the  river 
from  Dawson  were  boarded  and  examined  and  two,  the  Alaska  Explo- 
ration Company's  steamer  F.  K.  Gustin  and  the  steamer  Dawson  City, 
owned  b}T  private  parties,  were  reported  to  the  collector  of  customs  at 
St.  Michael  for  infractions  of  the  law. 

On  June  11,  having  completed  the  repairs  to  the  machinery,  we 
bade  good-bye  to  our  army  friends  and  left  Fort  Gibbon  for  down  the 
river.  At  the  request  of  Maj.  C.  A.  Booth,  IT.  S.  Army,  who  was 
under  orders  to  leave  for  the  States,  he  was  received  on  board  for  pas- 
sage to  St.  Michael. 

During  the  afternoon  the  steamer  Florence  $.  was  met  on  her  return 
from  the  Koyukuk  River,  and  we  stopped  to  communicate  with  her. 
Mr.  Pond,  the  custodian  of  the  vessel,  reported  that  the  trip  had  been 
made  in  accordance  with  the  instructions  received  by  him  from  me, 
and  that  the  vessel  had  not  been  engaged  in  any  illegal  traffic  on  the 
river.     She  was  thereupon  allowed  to  proceed. 

We  arrived  at  Nulato  on  June  12,  and  stopped  there  to  await  the 
return  of  Lieutenant  Camden  from  the  Koyukuk  River. 

At  Nulato  we  found  encamped  some  50  or  60  prospectors  who  had 
grown  tired  of  floating  down  the  river  and  were  now  awaiting  some 
other  means  of  transportation  to  the  coast.  1  received  numerous 
applications  to  be  furnished  passage  on  the  Nunivak,  but  as  no  one 
appeared  to  be  actually  destitute  or  in  distress,  1  declined  to  receive 
anyone  on  board. 

Quite  a  number  of  Indians  were  gathered  at  Nulato  getting  their 
fish  traps  ready  for  the  expected  run  of  salmon  on  the  rivetf,  building 
birch-bark  canoes,  cutting  up  driftwood'  for  sale  to  the  steamers  and 
otherwise  busily  employed. 


UNIVERSITY 

OF 


63 

Complaint  having  been  made  to  me  by  some  of  the  Indians  that  a 
party  of  white  men  encamped  at  this  place  had  taken  some  driftwood 
collected  by  the  Indians  and  used  it  for  firewood  without  paying  for 
it,  and  had  refused  to  either  pay  for  it  or  replace  what  had  been  used, 
I  caused  the  men  to  be  brought  before  me  and  investigated  the  matter. 
It  having*  been  proved  that  the  story  of  the  Indians  was  true,  I  required 
the  men  to  replace  the  wood  and  told  them  to  break  their  camp  and 
move  on  down  the  river,  as  their  presence  was  likely  to  cause  trouble. 

Shortly  after  our  arrival  at  Nulato  1  learned  that  an  Indian  boy  had 
been  accidentally  shot  and  killed  by  a  companion  during  the  winter,  and 
that  a  meeting  of  the  principal  men  of  the  tribe  was  about  to  be  held 
to  determine  what  was  to  be  done  in  the  matter. 

When  the  meeting  took  place  all  the  Indians  in  the  vicinity  were 
present  and  were  harangued  by  the  shaman  of  the  tribe  for  several 
hours.  From  the  deck  of  the  Nunivak  everything  which  took  place 
at  the  meeting  could  be  observed  and  we  could  even  hear  what  was 
said.  I  ascertained  by  means  of  an  interpreter  that  the  shaman  was 
advising  the  parents  of  the  dead  boy  to  seize  the  person  who  had  been 
responsible  for  the  killing  and  to  hold  him  as  a  slave.  He  further- 
more informed  them  that  if  he  refused  to  work  for  their  support  that 
it  would  be  their  right  and  duty  to  take  his  life  as  a  blood  atonement 
for  that  of  their  son. 

As  there  was  no  one  in  authority  in  the  settlement  to  interfere  and 
prevent  the  execution  of  this  sentence,  I  joined  the  meeting  and 
informed  the  Indians  that  I  had  heard  the  decision  of  their  council 
and  that  the  Government  of  the  United  States  would  not  permit  them 
either  to  make  a  slave  of  the  dead  boy's  companion  or  to  take  his 
life.  If  it  could  be  proved  that  the  act  was  done  in  anger  or  inten- 
tionally, which  it  appeared  was  never  charged,  then  the  Government 
would  arrest  the  murderer  and  punish  him.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
if  any  harm  whatever  came  to  him  at  the  hands  of  the  Indians,  the 
Government  would  surely  catch  them  if  it  took  every  soldier  in  the 
country  to  do  so,  and  would  send  them  far  away  and  hang  them.  As 
for  the  shaman,  I  told  him  that  he  was  telling  the  Indians  lies  and  was 
giving  them  bad  advice,  and  if  he  did  not  immediately  stop  doing 
so  I  would  take  him  on  the  Nunivak  down  to  the  ocean  and  send  him 
away  on  a  big  ship,  and  that  he  would  never  see  his  home  again. 

The  meeting  broke  up  in  disorder  and  the  shaman  evidently  did 
not  consider  himself  safe  from  arrest  until  he  had  placed  a  wide 
stretch  of  country  between  us,  as  he  immediately  got  into  his  canoe 
and  paddled  away  and  was  not  seen  or  heard  of  again. 

As  a  sequel  to  this  incident  I  would  state  that  on  the  way  up  the 
river  some  weeks  afterwards,  the  boy  whose  life  had  been  threatened 
made  himself  known  to  me  at  one  of  the  fishing  camps  near  Nulato, 
and  informed  me  that  the  matter  had  been  amicably  settled  between 


64 

himself  and  the  parents  of  the  dead  Indian,  and  that  he  was  in  no 
further  danger. 

On  June  16  the  steamer  Seattle  No.  3,  owned  by  the  Seattle- Yukon 
Transportation  Company,  arrived  at  Nulato  and  upon  examination 
was  found  to  have  on  board,  in  addition  to  an  excessively  large  crew, 
165  passengers,  and  was  towing  a  barge  in  which  were  carried  75 
additional  passengers  and  10  horses.  After  an  inspection  of  the  ves- 
sel had  been  made  by  an  officer  of  the  Nunivak,  I  decided  that  it 
would  not  be  safe  for  the  Seattle  to  accept  any  more  passengers  for 
transportation  to  St.  Michael,  and  so  informed  the  master  of  that  ves- 
sel. He  claimed,  however,  that  the  number  of  passengers  allowed  by 
law  for  him  to  carry  on  the  barge  was  greater  than  the  actual  number 
then  on  board,  and  the  pressure  for  passage  from  this  point  was  very 
great  and  asked  that  he  be  allowed  permission  to  receive  them  on 
board. 

But  in  view,  however,  of  the  fact  that  the  10  horses  on  the  barge 
were  occupying  space  originally  intended  for  the  accommodation  of 
passengers,  and  that  the  appliances  for  saving  life  in  case  of  accident 
were,  at  the  best,  very  meager,  I  declined  to  alter  my  decision.  A 
number  of  the  campers  on  the  beach  who  had  crowded  on  the  vessel 
to  secure  passage  down  the  river  when  she  landed  were  compelled, 
much  against  their  wishes,  to  go  on  shore  again. 

A  quantity  of  fine  grayling  (Tliymallus  signifer)  and  salmon  trout 
{Salmo  trulta)  were  taken  by  some  of  the  officers  with  hook  and  line 
from  a  small  stream  known  as  the  Klatahenah  River,  which  empties 
into  the  Yukon  at  Nulato.  The  fishing  afforded  considerable  sport, 
but  the  myriads  of  mosquitoes  which  swarmed  out  of  the  dense  under- 
growth along  the  banks  of  the  stream  and  attacked  the  fishermen  made 
the  undertaking  too  disagreeable  to  be  long  continued.  Both  kinds  of 
fish  rose  rapidly  to  any  bright-colored  fly  used  as  a  bait,  and  they 
were  game  enough  to  furnish  excellent  sport  if  protection  could  have 
been  had  from  the  mosquitoes.  It  was  almost  impossible  at  this  sea- 
son of  the  year  to  remain  any  length  of  time  in  the  woods  or  away 
from  the  immediate  banks  of  the  Yukon  without  wearing  gloves  and  a 
hood  made  of  fine  netting  to  cover  the  head  and  face.  Without  this 
protection  the  vicious  insects  made  life  almost  unendurable.  Fortu- 
nately for  those  whose  lives  must  be  spent  in  this  country,  the  mos- 
quito season  is  comparatively  short.  Beginning  in  May,  it  reaches 
its  height  in  June,  and  by  the  middle  of  July  it  is  on  the  wane.  In 
August  the  mosquitoes  are  no  worse  in  Alaska  than  they  are  in  many 
other  regions,  but  their  place  is  taken  by  a  minute  gnat  which  swarms 
in  inconceivably  large  numbers,  and  it  is  hard  to  decide  which  is  the 
greater  evil,  the  mosquitoes  or  the  gnats. 

On  June  20  the  steamer  Leah  arrived  at  Nulato  from  ner  trip  up 
the  Koyukuk  River  and  Lieutenant  Camden  returned  on  board  the 


65 

Nunivak,  and  reported  that  he  had  mapped  the  Koyukuk  from  its 
junction  with  the  Yukon  to  a  point  450  miles  upstream.  In  addition 
to  this  important  duty  he  had  boarded  and  examined  all  vessels  found 
engaged  in  commerce  on  the  river.  The  full  report  of  Lieutenant 
Camden's  journey,  including  a  copy  of  the  chart  made  of  the  region 
traversed,  is  appended  herewith. 

Captain  Young,  of  the  Leah,  informed  me  that  the  shaft  of  his  vessel 
had  been  cracked  while  on  the  Koyukuk  and  he  requested  us  to  convoy 
him  as  far  as  Andreafski,  at  which  place  he  hoped  to  be  able  to  repair 
the  injury.  Arrangements  were  accordingly  made  to  keep  within 
touch  of  the  Leah  on  the  way  down  the  river,  and  on  the  morning  of 
June  21  we  left  Nulato  and  ran  to  Holy  Cross  Mission,  where  a  stop 
was  made  to  ascertain  if  we  could  be  of  any  assistance  to  the  members 
of  the  community.  Information  had  been  previously  received  that  a 
native  boy  at  this  place  had  been  injured  by  the  accidental  discharge 
of  a  gun  while  he  was  hunting,  and  that  it  had  become  necessary  to 
amputate  his  foot.  We  found,  however,  that  the  injured  boy  had  been 
sent  down  the  river  by  Father  Crimont  for  treatment  at  St.  Michael. 
We  remained  at  Holy  Cross  for  the  night,  and  while  there  we  obtained 
a  magnificent  king  salmon,  the  first  of  the  season's  run.  It  weighed 
52  pounds  and  furnished  a  delicious  meal  for  everyone  on  board. 

The  weather  for  several  days  had  been  exceedingly  unpleasant. 
Heavy  rains  lasting  from  six  to  ten  hours  had  fallen,  accompanied  by 
a  strong  southwest  wind,  which  blew  directly  upstream.  But  on  the 
afternoon  of  June  22  the  wind  died  away  until  it  was  almost  a  calm. 
The  heavy  clouds  rolled  upward  from  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  which 
for  several  days  had  been  shrouded  in  mist,  and  as  the  sun  lowered  in 
the  west  the  atmosphere  took  on  a  soft  luminous  quality,  through  which 
all  objects  appeared  to  be  bathed  in  opalescent  color.  Innumerable 
song  birds  trilled  and  warbled  from  the  adjacent  shores,  where  the 
dense  vernal  foliage  covered  the  undulant  hillsides,  rushed  down  the 
steep  canyons,  and  poured  in  a  perfect  cascade  of  color  over  the  vari- 
tinted  faces  of  the  bluffs,  while  every  detail  of  leaf  and  blossom  was 
mirrored  in  the  calm  surface  of  the  river.  As  we  sped  on  our  way, 
the  eye,  grown  tired  of  the  vivid  splendors  of  the  northern  shore, 
turned  for  rest  to  where  the  tundra  plains  stretch  away  league  on 
league  to  the  shadowy  lilac-tinted  mountains  in  the  south.  Each  tiny 
lake  and  willow-fringed  lagoon  glowed  like  a  blood- red  jewel  set  in  an 
emerald  field,  while  flocks  of  geese,  alarmed  at  our  approach,  rose 
from  their  feeding  grounds  with  strenuous  clangor  and  drifted  off  in 
countless  numbers  to  some  securer  resting  place  in  the  vast  expanse 
of  radiant  marshes  and  rolling  tundra  lands. 

We  reached  Andreafski  on  the  afternoon  of  June  22,  and  took 
advantage  of  this  opportunity  to  wash  out  the  boilers  and  fill  the 
tanks  with  the  clear  water  of  the  Andreafski  River.     While  engaged 


66 

in  this  work,  the  steamer  Leah  came  into  port,  and,  after  communi- 
cating with  the  shore,  Captain  Young  informed  me  that  it  would  be 
impossible  for  him  to  repair  the  damage  done  to  the  LeaNs  shaft  at 
this  place,  or  even  get  it  into  condition  to  make  the  trip  to  St.  Michael 
in  safety.  As  he  had  on  board  90  passengers  and  was  short  of  pro- 
visions, he  requested  our  assistance  to  reach  that  port. 

In  accordance  with  this  request,  the  Leah  was  lashed  alongside  of 
the  Nunivah,  this  being  the  most  effective  manner  of  towing  her 
through  the  narrow  channels  of  the  lower  river,  and  next  morning 
we  left  Andreafski  and  proceeded  on  our  way  downstream. 

Shortly  after  leaving  Andreafski  a  dense  fog  was  encountered,  and 
at  times  both  shores  of  the  river  would  be  lost  to  view.  Navigation 
of  the  tortuous  channels  under  these  conditions  proved  somewhat 
difficult,  but  thanks  to  the  accuracy  of  the  chart  made  b}T  the  officers 
on  the  way  upstream  we  succeeded  in  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
with  the  Leah  in  tow,  next  morning  without  mishap  of  any  kind. 

The  Alaska  Commercial  Company's  steamer  Hannah  was  met  at  the 
lower  part  of  the  Aphoon,  and  ascertaining  from  her  master  that  the 
harbor  of  St.  Michael  was  now  clear  of  ice,  we  crossed  the  bar  and 
stood  out  to  sea  on  the  course  for  St.  Michael. 

At  6  p.  m.  of  June  24  we  reached  St.  Michael  and,  casting  loose  from 
the  Leah,  we  came  to  anchor,  and  were  welcomed  back  to  the  coast  by 
numerous  steam  whistles  on  the  vessels  which  were  already  in  port. 

The  day  previous  to  our  arrival  at  St.  Michael  the  U.  S.  S.  Bear, 
Capt.  Francis  Tuttle,  Revenue-Cutter  Service,  commanding,  had  reached 
port  from  the  outside,  having  on  board  supplies  for  the  Nunivah  and 
the  weather  at  this  time  being  fine  and  the  sea  smooth  we  went  along- 
side that  vessel  at  4  a.  m.  of  June  25  and  began  at  once  to  receive  our 
stores. 

On  June  26  the  TT.  S.  S.  McCulloch,  Capt.  M.  A.  Healy,  Revenue- 
Cutter  Service,  commanding,  arrived  with  an  additional  quantity  of 
stores  for  us  and  the  day  was  spent  in  taking  them  on  board.  Arrange- 
ments were  also  made  with  Captain  Healy  for  the  transfer  of  the  boat- 
swain, carpenter,  a  fireman,  and  a  boy  from  the  McCulloch  to  the 
Nunivah. 

Dr.  Pratt,  who  had  been  attached  to  the  Nunivah  as  surgeon  during 
the  winter,  having  signified  his  desire  to  leave  the  Service,  left  the 
vessel  at  this  place,  much  to  the  regret  of  all  on  board.  He  had  proved 
himself  to  be  a  most  agreeable  shipmate  and  a  thoroughly  competent 
officer  while  attached  to  the  command  and  it  was  with  mutual  expres- 
sions of  regard  and  best  wishes  that  he  resigned  his  position  and  took 
up  the  duties  of  a  position  which  had  been  offered  him  on  shore.  The 
duties  of  surgeon  of  the  Nunivah  were  at  once  assumed  by  Dy.  James 
T.  White,  who  had  arrived  for  the  purpose  on  the  McCulloch. 

The  hurried  manner  in  which  our  stores  had  been  received  from  the 


CO  n. 
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tr 
< 

Z 

CD 


67 

Bear  and  Me  Culloch  made  it  impossible  to  properly  stow  them  in  the 
Nunivak;  so,  shifting  our  anchorage  from  the  outer  harbor  to  a  more 
sheltered  situation  farther  inside,  the  work  of  getting  our  supplies 
into  shape  was  undertaken.  . 

Meanwhile  a  number  of  the  seamen  who  had  shown  most  discontent 
during  the  winter  were  discharged  and  their  places  were  filled  by  the 
enlistment  of  others  more  experienced  in  the  vicissitudes  of  life  in 
Alaska,  and  we  were  on  the  point  of  leaving  St.  Michael  for  our  sta- 
tion on  the  river  when  the  news  of  an  epidemic  of  smallpox  at  Nome 
reached  port.  Under  these  circumstances  I  delayed  our'  departure 
from  St.  Michael,  feeling  certain  that  in  the  event  of  a  quarantine 
being  found  necessary  at  this  port,  the  Nuni/oak  could  be  more  advan- 
tageously employed  in  assisting  the  authorities  to  maintain  a  quaran- 
tine of  the  port  than  by  attending  to  any  other  duties  on  the  river.  I 
felt  almost  certain  that  if  the  disease  ever  reached  St.  Michael  its 
spread  up  the  river  could  be  hardly  prevented,  and  once  in  the  river 
its  progress  through  the  country  would  be  like  wildfire.  All  other 
duties  were,  therefore,  for  the  time  relegated  to  a  position  of  secondary 
importance. 

On  the  3d  of  July,  by  order  of  Brig.  Gen.  George  M.  Randall,  U .  S. 
Army,  commanding  the  Department  of  Alaska,  a  quarantine  of  the 
harbor  of  St.  Michael  was  established  against  all  vessels  arriving  from 
Nome  and  coastwise  ports  to  the  westward,  and  I  immediately  called 
upon  General  Randall  and  signified  my  desire  to  cooperate  with  my 
command  in  the  work  of  maintaining  the  quarantine.  This  tender  of 
services  was  accepted,  and  preparations  were  at  once  made  to  guard 
the  harbor. 

The  Nunivak  was  again  anchored  in  the  outer  harbor,  where  an 
extensive  view  of  the  shipping  could  be  had,  and  a  night  and  day 
watch  was  maintained  until  the  quarantine  was  raised.  All  vessels 
and  boats  arriving  from  sea  were  subjected  to  a  rigid  examination  by 
a  boarding  officer  and  the  surgeon  of  the  Nunivak,  and  such  craft, 
with  their  passengers,  as  were  found  to  come  within  the  restrictions 
of  the  quarantine  were  ordered  to  the  anchorage  of  the  detention 
camp  established  at  Egg  Island,  some  10  or  12  miles  from  St.  Michael. 
As  an  additional  precaution  against  the  landing  of  suspects  a  code  of 
signals  between  the  Nunivak  and  the  army  authorities  was  arranged, 
and  sentinels  were  posted  at  convenient  points  on  shore,  with  instruc- 
tions to  notify  the  Nunivah  of  the  approach  of  all  vessels  and  small 
boats  toward  the  land  in  ample  time  to  have  them  intercepted  and 
examined  before  reaching  the  limits  of  the  harbor. 

All  mail  matter  intended  for  St.  Michael  or  in  transit  for  points  on 
the  river  was  first  brought  on  board  the  Nunvvak  and  fumigated,  under 
the  direction  of  the  surgeon  of  the  vessel. 


68 

The  quarantine  lasted  from  July  3  until  the  21th,  when,  all  danger 
of  the  spread  of  the  disease  having  passed,  it  was  raised  and  we 
resumed  our  usual  duties. 

About  this  time  reports  began  to  arrive  giving  information  of  the 
prevalence  of  an  epidemic  of  sickness  among  the  natives  along  the 
coast  from  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon  to  as  far  westward  as  Cape  Prince 
of  Wales.  The  condition  of  the  people  soon  became  so  bad  that  it 
was  evident  some  steps  must  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  render 
assistance  to  them,  or,  failing  this,  great  suffering  from  sickness  and 
starvation  would  result.  A  consultation  of  the  local  army  and  Treas- 
ury officials  was  held,  and  it  was  decided,  in  view  of  the  urgent  nature 
of  the  case,  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  immediately  supply  the 
natives  with  food,  clothing,  and  medicines  to  tide  them  over  their 
present  distressed  condition.  In  accordance  with  this  decision  a  quan- 
tity of  supplies  were  purchased  from  the  local  trading  companies  by 
Special  Agent  of  the  Treasury  Joseph  Evans,  who  was  on  duty  at  St. 
Michael,  and  placed  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Bear  for  distribution  to  the 
natives  along  the  coast  to  the  westward,  while  the  work  of  caring  for 
the  destitute  ones  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  St.  Michael  was  under- 
taken by  the  army  authorities. 

From  vessels  arriving  from  the  Yukon  it  was  ascertained  that  the 
prevailing  sickness  had  spread  to  the  natives  along  the  banks  of  the 
river  in  the  region  of  the  delta,  and  as  we  were  about  to  leave  for  the 
region  I  suggested  to  Colonel  Evans  the  advisability  of  placing  some 
supplies  on  the  JSfunivah  for  distribution  to  the  sick  and  need}7  Indians 
in  that  locality.  Acccordingly  a  supply  of  food  was  taken  on  board 
for  that  purpose,  and  on  the  13th  of  August  we  left  St.  Michael  for 
our  second  journey  up  the  Yukon. 

Our  progress  across  the  Flats  was  made  without  incident  worthy  of 
note,  and  we  entered  the  Aphoon  mouth  of  the  river  at  8.30  a.  m.  of 
August  14.  At  Kotlik,  7  miles  upstream,  a  party  of  the  army  tele- 
graph construction  corps  was  passed,  and  from  some  of  its  members  we 
learned  that  many  of  the  natives  were  sick  and  some  had  recently  died 
from  starvation  as  a  result  of  their  inability  to  catch  their  usual  sup- 
ply of  fish  during  the  summer.  As  we  journeyed  on  the  serious  con- 
dition of  affairs  became  more  manifest  with  every  mile  of  advancement 
upstream.  The  epidemic  of  measles,  which  appears  to  have  origi- 
nated on  the  coast,  was  now  attacking  the  natives  of  the  interior,  and 
so  rapidly  had  it  spread  that  there  was  not  a  single  settlement  along 
the  river  from  the  coast  to  a  distance  of  1,000  miles  upstream  that 
was  not  more  or  less  affected.  How  bad  the  condition  realty  was  we 
did  not  learn  until  later. 

In  most  cases  the  attack  of  measles  was  followed  by  pneumonia, 
brought  on  no  doubt  by  exposure.  At  this  season  of  th*e  year  the 
natives  live  in  thin  tents  or  rude  bark  shelters,  in  which  it  is  impos- 
sible for  them  to  keep  dry,   as  rains  are  of   frequent  occurrence. 


69 

Under  these  adverse  conditions  the  poor  creatures,  for  the  most  part 
living  in  isolated  situations  seldom  or  never  visited  by  the  whites, 
were  simply  dying  like  flies. 

Night  and  day  we  pushed  on  up  the  river,  visiting  every  native 
camp  where  signs  of  life  could  be  observed,  and  everywhere  the  same 
condition  of  suffering  and  distress  was  found  to  exist.  In  places  the 
whole  community  would  be  found  either  sick  and  starving  or  else  so 
weak  from  insufficient  nutrition  as  to  be  entirely  helpless.  In  many 
oases  the  corpses  of  those  who  had  died  were  left  unburied  in  the  tents 
because  there  was  no  one  strong  enough  to  perform  the  work  of  burial. 

At  Dog  Fish  Village,  where  we  arrived  on  August  18,  we  found  that 
out  of  a  population  of  27  souls  only  7  remained,  and  of  these  only  2 
were  strong  enough  to  take  care  of  the  food  and  medicines  we  left  for 
them.  At  this  place  the  bodies  of  some  of  the  dead  had  been  so  inse- 
curely buried  that  the  dogs  had  dug  them  up,  and  the  mangled 
remains  were  scattered  over  the  ground  where  the  animals  had  been 
feeding  off  them.  Everywhere  was  there  the  unmistakable  evidence 
of  terrible  suffering,  absolute  .neglect,  and  grim  despair. 

The  only  exception  to  this  rule  was  at  places  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
trading  posts  or  church  missions.  At  Andreafski  all  the  natives  were 
sick  and  had  been  attended  to  by  the  agent,  Mr.  Fredericks,  until  he 
fell  sick  himself,  and  when  we  arrived  we  found  him  helpless.  At 
Russian  Mission  Father  Korchinski  and  his  assistant  had  worked  nobly 
to  alleviate  the  sufferings  of  their  native  charges,  and  at  Holy  Cross 
we  found  the  sick  people  had  been  taken  care  of  by  the  priests  and 
sisters  of  the  mission  with  a  tenderness  and  devotion  which  no  words 
can  adequately  describe. 

About  200  natives  live  at  or  near  Holy  Cross  Mission,  all  of  whom 
had  been  sick,  and  57  had  died  up  to  the  time  of  our  visit.  Besides 
those  directly  under  the  care  of  the  mission,  the  fathers  had  visited 
and  attended  to  the  wants  of  the  natives  at  various  settlements  along 
the  river  within  reach  by  boat,  and  their  work  had  been  constant, 
arduous,  and  self-sacrificing  almost  to  the  limit  of  human  endurance. 
The  mother  superior  of  the  mission  had,  in  fact,  died  as  a  result  of 
exposure  and  overwork  while  ministering  to  the  sick  Indians,  and 
there  was  not  one  of  the  little  community  of  Christian  men  and  women 
who  did  not  show  the  evidences  of  long  days  of  weary  watching  and 
constant  attention  to  the  wants  or  their  stricken  fold.  And  yet  on  all 
their  faces  there  was  such  an  expression  of  patient  cheerfulness  that 
the  heart  must  be  made  of  stone  that  could  remain  unmoved  in  the 
presence  of  such  absolute  and  unostentatious  devotion  to  duty. 

At  Holy  Cross  we  received  on  board  the  Rev.  Aloys  A.  Ragaru  and 
Sister  Mary  Antonio,  of  the  Mission  of  St.  Peter  Clavers  at  Nulato, 
for  transportation  to  that  place,  and  on  August  23  we  resumed  our 
journey  upstream. 


70 

Arriving  at  Anvik  at  noon  of  the  24th,  we  ran  in  to  communicate 
with  Mr.  Chapman,  in  charge  of  the  Episcopalian  mission  at  this  place, 
and  found  the  150  natives  under  his  charge  were  all  sick  and  that  his 
supply  of  medicines  was  almost  exhausted.  Mrs.  Sabin,  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  native  school  here,  had  been  working  steadily  fifteen 
hours  a  day  for  ten  days  attending  to  the  wants  of  her  pupils,  all  of 
whom  had  been  sick  at  the  same  time,  but  thanks  to  her  devotion  all 
of  them  had  recovered.  Thirty-seven  deaths  had  taken  place  among 
the  Indians  of  the  village  adjoining  the  mission  and  many  more  of 
them  were  not  expected  to  live  at  the  time  of  our  visit. 

After  visiting  and  prescribing  for  the  sick  and  placing  a  supply  of 
medicines  on  shore  in  charge  of  Mr.  Chapman,  we  left  Anvik  at  4  p. 
m.  and  continued  our  progress  up  the  river.  The  various  native 
camps  and  trading  stations  where  the  Indians  were  gathered  were  vis- 
ited and  such  assistance  as  was  possible  was  given  them.  At  Greyling 
we  stopped  for  the  night  and  found  65  Indians  encamped  and  being 
cared  for  by  Mr.  R.  G.  O'Sbea,  an  independent  trader  located  at  this 
place.  In  one  of  the  tents  on  the  beach  a  baby  lay  dead  on  a  little  mat 
of  birch  bark  and  the  women  of  the  family  were  crouched  over  the 
body  chanting  its  death  song.  The  men  of  the  family  sat  outside  the 
tent  huddled  around  a  logwood  fire,  apparently  indifferent  to  the  scene 
of  mourning  which  was  being  enacted  over  the  body  of  the  dead  child; 
but  it  may  be  that  their  indifference  was  only  assumed  and  that  their 
grief,  though  silent,  was  as  sincere  as  that  of  the  wailing  women  inside 
the  tent.     Who  can  tell  % 

Upon  our  arrival  at  Nulato  the  condition  of  the  natives  along  the 
river  had  been  ascertained  to  be  so  much  worse  than  had  been  antici- 
pated before  our  departure  from  St.  Michael  that  I  reported  the  facts 
to  Colonel  Evans  and  strongly  urged  him  to  send  additional  supplies, 
as  quickly  as  possible,  to  the  several  missions  and  trading  posts  on  the 
lower  river  for  distribution  to  the  Indians. 

The  lateness  of  the  season  and  the  knowledge  that  the  prevailing 
condition  of  sickness  and  distress  among  the  natives  extended  still 
further  upstream  made  it  impracticable  to  turn  back  with  the  Nunivdk 
to  get  these  fresh  supplies.  1  therefore  relied  upon  Colonel  Evans 
and  the  army  authorities  at  St.  Michael  to  arrange  the  matter  of  trans- 
portation, and  subsequent  events  proved  that  this  action  was  the  best 
that  could  have  been  taken  under  the  circumstances.  Upon  receipt  of 
my  letters  of  advice  Colonel  Evans  acted  promptly,  and  with  the  hearty 
cooperation  of  the  army  authorities  and  the  manager  of  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  ample  supplies  of  food,  clothing,  and  medicines 
were  hurried  up  the  river  and  left  at  the  various  stations  and  missions 
in  the  hands  of  responsible  parties  for  distribution.  This  wqrk  was  so 
efficiently  done  that  starvation  to  hundreds  of  the  Indians  was  undoubt- 
edly averted,  their  immediate  wants  supplied,  and  returning1  health 


71 

soon  saw  the  remnants  of  the  several  communities  once  more  self- 
supporting. 

The  weather  during  the  month  of  August  was  unusually  disagreeable. 
Cold  winds  and  driving  rain  storms  made  our  journey  anything  but  a 
pleasant  one,  and  it  was  not  until  our  arrival  at  Fort  Gibbon  on 
August  30  that  the  usual  fine  weather  characteristic  of  the  Yukon 
Valley  was  experienced.  Here  blue  skies  and  warm  sunshine  succeeded 
the  dull,  moisture-laden  atmosphere  of  the  lower  river,  and  once  more 
our  eyes  were  gladdened  by  the  sight  of  verdure-clad  hills  and  valleys 
filled  with  blooming  flowers.  The  prodigal  display  of  color  in  the 
landscape  at  this  season  of  the  year  makes  it  appear  as  if  all  nature 
were  uniting  in  one  vast  assemblage  of  flaming  leaf  and  blooming 
shrub  to  say  good-bye  to  earth  before  the  coming  of  winter,  and  to 
die  in  a  blaze  of  glory. 

As  we  journeyed  up  the  river  our  frequent  stops  at  the  wood  yards 
gave  Dr.  White  and  myself  opportunities  for  short  rambles  in  the 
woods  to  gather  specimens  for  our  natural  history  collections.  Blue- 
berries of  two  varieties,  the  high  and  low  bush  cranberries,  raspberries, 
currants,  salmon  berries,  gooseberries,  bearberries,  and  a  species  of 
edible  rose-hip  were  found  in  abundance  and  furnished  an  agreeable 
addition  to  our  larder. 

The  doctor  was  an  enthusiastic  collector  of  material  for  the  herba- 
rium and  seldom  returned  from  a  trip  through  the  woods  without  hav- 
ing obtained  some  new  specimens  for  the  collection,  and  always  brought 
back  quantities  of  wild  flowers  with  which  our  quarters  were  decorated 
and  the  surroundings  made  to  appear  more  homelike  and  cheerful. 

The  season  was  now  so  far  advanced  that  the  mosquitoes  had  almost 
disappeared,  but  their  place  was  taken  by  swarms  of  minute  gnats 
whose  presistent  attentions  were  quite  as  annoying  though  not  as 
painful  as  those  of  the  mosquitoes.  The  gunners  of  the  party,  whose 
tramps  usually  extended  to  some  distance  inland  from  the  river,  fre- 
quently returned  empty  handed,  not  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  the 
game  so  much  as  because  the  attacks  of  swarms  of  gnats  simply  drove 
them  wild  and  made  careful  shooting  impossible. 

We  passed  through  the  Rampart  Rapids  safely  and  with  very  little 
trouble  on  September  4,  and  the  next  day  reached  Rampart  Cit}T. 
Here  a  stop  was  made  to  clean  boilers  and  make  some  slight  repairs  to 
the  machinery  and  also  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  the  crew  to  pur- 
chase some  needed  articles  of  winter  clothing  from  the  army  commis- 
sary depot  located  at  this  place,  permission  to  obtain  these  articles 
having  been  kindly  granted  by  the  department  commander. 

While  at  Rampart  City  I  received  notification  from  the  Department 
of  the  detachment  of  Assistant  Engineer  Wood  from  the  Nunivak  and 
his  assignment  to  the  U.  S.  S.  Bear,  and  the  information  that  Assistant 
Engineer  T.  G.  Lewton,   R.   C.   S.,   had  been  directed  to   join  the 


72 

JVunivak  as  the  relief  of  Mr.  Wood.  The  latter  officer  was  therefore 
directed  to  hold  himself  in  readiness  to  take  the  next  steamer  met  on 
her  way  to  St.  Michael,  where  the  Bear  could  be  joined  in  obedience  to 
his  orders. 

After  a  pleasant  stay  at  Rampart  City  of  a  few  days,  we  left  there 
on  September  7  and  ran  to  the  Pioneer  Coal  Mine  where  we  stopped 
and  took  on  board  65  tons  of  coal  for  winter  use.  Proceeding  slowly 
up  the  river  and  stopping  at  various  places  on  the  way,  we  reached 
Fort  Shoemaker  on  September  13  and  put  on  shore  at  our  winter 
quarters  a  quantity  of  stores.  The  Indians  in  the  vicinity  were  found 
to  be  suffering  from  the  prevalent  sickness  and  lack  of  food.  Dr. 
White  visited  the  village  daily  and  prescribed  for  them,  and  a  supply 
of  food  was  given  them  from  the  emergency  ration  of  the  JVwrivak 
sufficient  for  their  immediate  wants  and  we  then  returned  to  Fort 
Hamlin  on  the  Yukon  and  resumed  our  duties  on  the  river. 

The  steamer  Robert  Kerr  was  boarded  on  her  wa}r  from  St.  Michael 
to  Dawson,  with  a  cargo  of  refrigerated  meats,  eggs,  etc.,  on  board. 
Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Sedden,  the  manager  of  the  company,  we 
received  a  very  acceptable  present  of  a  quantity  of  fresh  beef  and  a 
couple  of  fine  turkeys,  all  of  which  was  very  much  enjoyed,  as  we  had 
had  nothing  in  the  way  of  fresh  meats  since  our  departure  from  the 
coast.  On  September  15  the  steamer  Susie  from  St.  Michael  arrived 
on  her  way  to  Dawson,  and  we  were  all  delighted  to  welcome  Lieut. 
W.  J.  Wheeler,  R.  C.  S.,  who  had  been  ordered  to  duty  on  the  JVunivak, 
and  after  a  somewhat  exciting  chase  of  over  1,000  miles  up  the  Yukon 
had  finally  overtaken  us  at  this  point.  At  the  time  of  his  departure 
from  the  coast  Lieutenant  Wheeler  had  heard  nothing  of  Mr.  Lewton's 
movements,  nor  could  he  give  me  any  information  as  to  the  probability 
of  any  other  vessel  coming  up  the  river  later  than  the  Stcste,  by  which 
that  officer  could  join  us  before  the  closing  of  navigation. 

On  the  16th  of  September  the  steamer  P.  B.  Weare  was  boarded  on 
her  way  from  Dawson  to  St.  Michael,  and  as  this  vessel  would  prob- 
ably be  the  last  one  to  reach  the  coast  before  the  closing  of  navigation 
1  directed  Assistant  Engineer  Wood  to  take  passage  on  her,  in  obedi- 
ence to  his  orders  of  detachment.  This  left  the  vessel  without  an 
engineer  officer,  but  I  had  no  doubt  that  Mr.  Lewton  would  manage 
to  get  to  us  in  some  way,  and  as  we  were  fortunate  in  having  two 
very  competent  enlisted  machinists  attached  to  the  vessel  who  could 
carry  on  the  duties  in  the  engineer's  department  satisfactorily  unless 
some  unforeseen  accident  should  occur,  I  had  no  hesitation  in  pursu- 
ing the  course  I  did  in  regard  to  Mr.  Wood's  orders,  especially  as 
they  were  of  a  character  as  left  me  no  discretion  in  the  matter. 

Meanwhile  active  preparations  were  being  made  to  get  a  ^upply  of 
wood  into  Dall  River  for  winter  consumption.  Our  experience  of  the 
previous  year  led  me  to  believe  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  procure 


73 

a  sufficient  quantity  of  fuel  to  last  through  the  winter  by  cutting  it 
near  our  station.  We  therefore  busied  ourselves  during  the  day  in 
taking  on  wood  wherever  it  could  be  obtained  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  Dall  River  and  transporting  it  to  Fort  Shoemaker  when  the  vessel 
was  loaded.  In  this  way  we  succeeded  in  getting  about  160  cords 
landed  at  Fort  Shoemaker  before  the  closing  of  the  river  drove  us 
into  winter  quarters. 

The  weather  during  the  latter  part  of  September  was  clear  and 
cold,  with  the  temperature  ranging  from  34°  to  103  F.  during  the  day, 
but  considerably  lower  at  night.  I  quote  from  my  journal  of  Sep- 
tember 20: 

Ice  forms'on  the  deck  of  the  vessel  at  night,  and  the  tops  of  the  mountains  and 
some  of  the  lower  hills  are  covered  with  newly  fallen  snow.  The  bright-colored 
autumn  leaves  are  falling  in  showers  from  the  poplar  and  birch  trees,  and  the 
smaller  plants  are  beginning  to  shrivel  up  and  turn  brown.  There  is  that  strange 
cessation  of  noise  on  all  sides  which  seems  always  to  presage  a  change  in  atmos- 
pheric conditions,  and  all  at  once  we  realize  that  summer  is  ended. 

On  the  20th  of  September  the  steamer  D.  R.  Campbell,  from  Daw- 
son to  St.  Michael,  was  boarded  and  1  was  handed  a  letter  from  the 
master  of  the  steamer  Robert  Kem\  informing  me  that  the  vessel  had 
become  disabled  by  the  breaking  of  the  shaft  of  one  of  her  wheels 
when  near  Circle  City,  and  requesting  the  assistance  of  the  Nunivak 
to  convoy  him  to  Dawson.  The  lateness  of  the  season  and  the  fact 
that  all  the  passengers  of  the  Kerr  had  been  transferred  to  another 
vessel  for  transportation  to  Dawson,  thereby  relieving  the  situation 
from  danger  of  any  loss  of  life,  led  me  to  decide  not  to  attempt  to 
perform  this  service.  My  decision  in  the  matter  was  strengthened, 
also,  by  the  facts  that  the  Nuniwtfs  cruising  ground  did  not  extend 
beyond  Dall  River  and  only  the  most  urgent  necessity  would  warrant 
me  in  going  beyond  these  limits;  there  was  no  imminent  danger  to  the 
Kerr  in  her  present  condition,  as  she  could  easily  reach  a  safe  place  in 
which  to  spend  the  winter,  and,  furthermore,  there  were  at  least  three 
commercial  steamers  to  iny  certain  knowledge  within  reach  of  com- 
munication from  her  in  case  the  assistance  asked  for  was  absolutely 
necessary. 

On  September  21  the  steamer  Alice,  bound  up  the  river,  arrived 
from  St.  Michael,  and  I  informed  her  master,  Captain  Moore,  of  the 
condition  of  the  Kerr  and  sent  word  b}'  him  to  the  master  of  the  latter 
vessel  that  it  would  be  impracticable  for  the  Nunivak  to  come  to  his 
assistance. 

On  the  22d  of  September  the  steamer  Bella  passed  on  her  way  down- 
stream and  I  was  informed  by  her  master  that  the  river  was  falling 
very  rapidly  in  its  upper  portion  and  that  he  did  not  think  any  other 
vessel  would  attempt  to  come  down  this  yesiv.  He  hardly  expected 
to  be  able  to  reach  the  coast  himself,  but  might  succeed  in  getting 

5661—03 11 


74 

as  far  as  Andreafski.  I  was  also  very  much  relieved  to  hear  from  the 
Bella  that  the  Kerr  had  patched  up  her  broken  shaft  and  was  making 
her  way  to  Dawson  without  assistance. 

On  September  27,  while  lying  in  Dall  River,  smoke  from  a  steamer 
coming  up  the  river  was  observed  and  we  ran  down  to  board  her. 
The  vessel  proved  to  be  the  North  American  Trading  and  Transport 
tation  Compan}T's  steamer  ttywers,  from  St.  Michael  bound  for 
Dawson.  I  fully  expected  to  find  Mr.  Lewton  on  board,  and  was 
much  disappointed  when  I  found  that  he  was  not.  The  master  of  the 
Powers  informed  me  that  his  vessel  would  probabty  be  the  last  one 
to  leave  St.  Michael  for  the  upper  river  this  }rear,  and  after  kindly 
waiting  for  us  to  get  our  mail  ready  for  transmittal  to  the  outside  he 
proceeded  on  his  way  and  we  returned  to  Dall  River. 

The  duties  of  the  command  on  the  Yukon  now  being  practically 
ended  for  the  season,  and  there  being  a  considerable  amount  of  work  to 
do  at  Fort  Shoemaker  in  order  to  get  the  ship  comf  ortabl}T  arranged 
for  the  winter,  I  decided  to  delay  no  longer,  but  proceed  at  once  to 
lay  the  vessel  up. 

The  duties  of  the  command  during  the  season  just  closed  had  been  for 
the  most  of  the  time  exacting  and  arduous.  Much  of  the  work  per- 
formed had  been  unexpectedly  thrust  upon  us  by  unforeseen  circum- 
stances, but  neither  the  additional  duty  in  connection  with  the  main- 
tenance of  the  quarantine  at  St.  Michael  nor  that  which  later  fell 
to  us  in  rendering  assistance  to  the  distressed  Indians  along  the  river 
had  interfered  with  the  performance  of  our  regular  duties  on  the  sta- 
tion. Every  vessel  engaged  in  traffic  on  the  river  had  been  boarded 
and  carefully  inspected,  to  see  that  they  were  in  compliance  with  the 
law,  at  least  once,  in  some  cases  more  times,  during  the  season.  Sev- 
eral reports  of  infraction  of  law  had  been  made  to  the  proper  author- 
ities, assistance  to  vessels  and  persons  had  been  rendered  whenever 
a  legitimate  case  of  distress  or  destitution  had  been  encountered,  law 
and  order  had  been  enforced  on  several  occasions  where  the  Nunivak 
was  the  only  representative  of  the  Government  at  hand,  the  steamboat 
channel  of  upward  of  1,000  miles  of  river  navigation  hitherto  uncharted 
had  been  accurately  mapped,  and,  finally,  much  useful  information 
of  the  country  and  its  products  had  been  obtained  by  the  officers  of 
the  vessel  while  attending  to  their  regular  duties. 

A  feeling  of  general  satisfaction  and  cheerfulness  therefore  pervaded 
the  command  when  the  signs  of  approaching  winter  informed  us  that 
the  disagreeable  summer,  with  its  attendant  trials,  was  a  thing  of  the 
past,  and  it  was  with  an  actual  consciousness  of  relief  that  we  entered 
upon  the  second  winter's  occupancy  of  Fort  Shoemaker. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


One  of  the  first  duties  after  reaching  Fort  Shoemaker  was  to  get  a 
number  of  dogs  belonging  to  the  vessel,  and  some  which  were  private 
property  of  the  officers,  ashore  and  out  of  the  way  on  board.  These 
animals  had  been  confined  on  board  for  upward  of  two  months,  with 
hardly  a  single  opportunity  of  getting  any  exercise  on  shore,  and  their 
presence  on  the  vessel  from  first  to  last  had  been  an  unmitigated  nuisance 
to  even^one  on  board.  Now  that  the  time  for  their  removal  had  arrived, 
it  is  hard  to  sajT  which  were  more  pleased  at  the  change  of  their  living 
quarters,  the  people  who  had  been  annoyed  by  the  dirt  and  noise 
which  their  presence  on  board  made,  or  the  dogs  themselves,  who 
showed  their  joy  on  being  released  by  the  most  extravagant  antics 
when  they  finally  were  set  at  liberty.  Among  our  dogs  were  9  which 
had  been  secured  for  the  use  of  the  command  by  Capt.  Francis  Tut- 
tle,  Revenue-Cutter  Service,  commanding  the  U.  S.  steamship  Bear, 
in  Siberia.  It  was  thought  that  these  animals  would  be  superior  to 
those  on  the  Alaskan  mainland.  But  shortly  after  their  arrival  on 
the  Nunivah  nearly  all  of  these  dogs  were  taken  sick,  and  several 
died  after  a  lingering  and  painful  illness  of  a  week  or  ten  days  from 
the  time  of  first  seizure.  It  was  at  first  thought  that  the  dogs  had 
been  poisoned  by  eating  food  which  had  been  prepared  in  a  brass 
kettle.  But  as  none  of  the  other  dogs  seemed  to  be  attacked,  we 
finally  decided  that  the  long  confinement  of  the  animals  on  the  Bear 
in  transit  from  Siberia  and  their  subsequent  journey  on  the  Nunivak, 
together  with  the  change  from  their  accustomed  form  of  diet,  all 
tended  to  make  them  sick.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  the  Siberian 
dogs  are  not  as  well  adapted  for  use  in  Alaska  as  the  native-born  ani- 
mal, and  with  one  or  two  exceptions  none  of  those  which  had  been 
secured  for  our  use  at  so  much  trouble  by  Captain  Tuttle  could  stand 
up  to  the  work  cut  out  for  them  by  the  dogs  which  we  had  purchased 
on  the  Yukon  River.  A  whole  volume  would  be  necessary  to  write 
a  complete  description  of  the  dog,  his  peculiarities,  habits,  training, 
endurance,  etc. ,  and  in  point  of  fact  no  report  of  this  region  would 
be  complete  without  taking  this  subject  into  consideration.  A  good 
dog  team  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  traveler  in  this  country  in 
the  winter  time,  and  in  spite  of  various  proposed  substitutes  all  efforts 

75 


76 

to  find  a  more  suitable  or  efficient  method  of  transportation  have  been 
more  or  less  failures.  1  shall  endeavor  in  another  part  of  this  report 
to  give  some  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  dogs  are  raised,  trained, 
and  handled  in  this  country,  and  as  our  experience  with  the  animals 
was  somewhat  varied  and  extensive  the  results  of  our  observations 
may  be  of  some  interest. 

On  the  1st  of  October  we  were  very  glad  to  hear  the  sound  of  a 
steamer's  whistle  in  the  Yukon,  and  as  ice  was  running  in  that  stream 
we  felt  assured  that  it  was  from  some  vessel  which  was  making  for 
the  Dall  River  as  a  haven  for  winter  quarters.  Our  surmise  proved 
correct,  for  in  a  short  time  the  steamer  Alice,  belonging  to  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company,  Capt.  J.  H.  Moore  commanding,  came  into  the 
river,  and  her  master  informed  me  that  he  had  been  ordered  to  lay  the 
vessel  up  at  this  place  for  the  winter. 

A  good  location  about  half  a  mile  above  Fort  Shoemaker  was  selected 
by  Captain  Moore,  and  the  Alice  at  once  proceeded  upstream,  and  the 
work  of  putting  the  vessel  into  winter  quarters  was  begun. 

At  the  first  signs  of  ice  in  the  Dall,  grayling  in  large  quantities 
appeared  in  the  water  alongside  the  vessel,  and  as  they  eagerly  bit  at 
almost  any  kind  of  bait  we  succeeded  in  taking  them  in  large  numbers 
and  freezing  them  for  future  use. 

Meanwhile  the  work  of  getting  the  Nunwak  stripped  and  prepared 
for  winter  occupancy  was  pushed  to  completion  before  the  advent  of 
cold  weather.  Our  experience  of  the  previous  winter  had  taught  us 
several  lessons  in  the  matter  of  making  the  vessel  comfortable,  and 
one  of  the  most  important  of  these  was  the  method  of  housing  her 
in.  The  previous  year  we  had  thought  it  necessary  to  cover  the 
entire  hurricane  deck  with  a  false  roof  made  of  lumber,  which  extended 
from  the  sides  to  the  center  line  of  the  roof  and  was  made  practically 
air-tight.  This  necessarily  excluded  all  of  the  light  coming  through 
the  skylights,  and  for  this  reason  was  veiy  objectionable.  This  winter 
the  false  roof  was  made  to  extend  only  as  far  as  the  sides  of  the  sky- 
lights, thus  leaving  the  windows  clear  for  the  admission  of  as  much 
light  as  possible.  The  top  of  the  false  roof  was  covered  with  a  layer 
of  building  paper,  over  which  was  placed  a  layer  of  empty  coal  sacks, 
which,  when  frozen,  formed  an  ideal  roof  for  this  climate.  Air  spaces 
were  left  at  intervals  to  ventilate  the  space  between  the  false  roof  and 
hurricane  deck,  and  this  was  found  to  be  an  effective  method  of  pre- 
venting the  collection  of  frost  on  the  interior  of  the  living  quarters,  a 
matter  which  had  given  us  considerable  trouble  the  first  season.  The 
side  windows  of  the  living  quarters  were  made  double  by  simply 
inserting  in  the  sash  an  additional  pane  of  glass  with  less  than  a  quar- 
ter-inch space  between,  but  made  absolutely  air-tight.  In  th»iis  way  the 
glass  never  collected  frost  and  remained  perfectly  clear  the  entire 
winter.     Windows  which  were  allowed  to  remain  single  soon  were 


HI      T3 


g  5 


°   3 

0> 


\  ©  R  A  R  y 

V    OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 


77 

obscured  by  a  mass  of  frost,  varying  in  thickness  from  a  mere  filmy 
coating  to  as  much  as  l£  inches.  It  was  a  peculiar  fact  that  the  glass 
in  the  skylights,,  although  allowed  to  remain  single,  collected  very 
little  frost  during  the  winter.  This  was  accounted  for  by  the  fact 
that  the  dry  heat  of  the  quarters  collected  in  the  skylight  space  over- 
head, and  so  prevented  the  accumulation  of  sufficient  moisture  on  the 
surface  of  the  glass  to  form  frost.  I  observed  also  that  a  window 
which  was  directly  over  a  steam  heater  in  my  bedroom  remained  clear 
as  long  as  heat  was  turned  on,  but  immediately  became  covered  with 
frost  when  the  heat  was  turned  off. 

All  of  the  doors  leading  from  the  exterior  of  the  house  into  the 
quarters  which  could  possibly  be  dispensed  with  were  closed  and  cov- 
ered with  canvas  held  in  place  by  weather  strips,  and  we  found  that 
this  not  only  made  the  interior  of  the  vessel  much  more  habitable,  but 
a  greater  evenness  of  temperature  could  be  maintained  than  was  other- 
wise possible  during  the  entire  winter. 

In  laying  up  the  vessel  a  spot  was  selected  as  far  from  the  bank  as 
possible,  where  the  bottom  was  found  by  careful  sounding  to  be  free 
from  any  inequalities,  and  finally,  when  she  settled  on  the  bottom,  the 
few  inequalities  observed  were  removed  by  the  use  of  the  steam  pumps 
and  fire  hose  to  Irydraulie  them  away.  The  lower  portion  of  the  wheel 
was  removed  and  the  rudders  unhung  and  hoisted  up  clear  of  the  water 
before  the  ice  formed  so  as  to  avoid  the  labor  of  cutting  them  out  in 
the  spring,  and  when  "the  vessel  took  the  bottom  heavy  shores  were 
put  in  position  under  the  ends  of  the  cylinder  timbers  and  wedged  up 
to  take  off  the  strain.  The  hog  chains  were  then  slackened  to  prevent 
undue  strains  on  the  hull  which  would  result  from  the  contraction  of 
the  metal  during  the  cold  weather.  To  insure  having  a  clean  supply 
of  water  for  use  in  the  boilers  an  oil  barrel,  through  the  bottom  and 
side  of  which  numerous  holes  were  bored,  was  sunk  alongside  the 
vessel  in  a  position  convenient  of  access  from  the  engine  room,  and  a 
small  steam  pipe  led  into  it  kept  it  open  all  winter. 

These  and  other  minor  preparations  occupied  the  command  until  the 
middle  of  the  month,  when  the  ground  was  sufficiently  well  covered 
with  snow  to  furnish  good  running  for  sleds,  when  the  men  were  set 
at  work  in  the  woods  getting  out  logs  for  the  construction  of  addi- 
tional houses,  which  experience  had  shown  would  be  of  value  to  us 
while  in  winter  quarters.  A  space  was  cleared  on  the  bank  of  the  Dall 
next  to  the  large  storehouse  in  which  were  placed  the  most  of  our  sup- 
plies and  equipment,  and  here  were  built  two  new  houses,  one  of  which 
was  20  by  15  feet  and  the  other  was  25  by  30  feet.  The  smaller  house 
was  fitted  up  as  a  clubhouse  for  the  accommodation  of  the  crew  while 
off  duty,  and  the  larger  building  was  utilized  as  a  gymnasium  and  drill 
room  in  which  to  exercise  the  men  during  cold  or  inclement  weather. 
Both  houses  were  heated  during  the  winter  by  stoves  and  proved  to  be 


78 

of  great  convenience  to  the  command  while  at  Fort  Shoemaker.  The 
clubhouse  was  particularly  desirable  as  furnishing  a  place  in  which  the 
men  could  congregate  during  the  long  winter  evenings  and  amuse 
themselves  without  disturbing  others  on  the  vessel.  It  was  well  lighted 
and  furnished  with  a  large  table,  benches,  etc.,  and  kept  supplied  with 
files  of  newspapers,  magazines,  and  books  contributed  by  the  officers. 
Both  these  houses  were  built  with  a  view  of  their  possible  occupancy 
in  case  of  any  accident,  as  of  fire  for  instance,  happening  on  the  Nunivak, 
and  when  they  were  completed  I  felt  considerabl}r  relieved,  as  the  fear 
of  fire  on  the  vessel  was  seldom  absent  from  my  thoughts.  Our 
arrangements  for  extinguishing  fire  on  the  ship  were  as  complete  as  it 
was  possible  to  make  them  under  the  circumstances,  but  at  the  best  I 
realized  that  if  one  should  unfortunately  take  place  during  the  intense 
cold  of  midwinter  it  would  be  hard  to  control,  and  in  case  we  had  to 
abandon  the  vessel  with  no  place  to  find  immediate  shelter  the  whole 
command  would  be  in  a  bad  position. 

The  Dall  froze  over  solid  on  the  14th  of  October,  and  by  the  19th  of 
the  month  the  Yukon  had  also  ceased  to  run  opposite  the  mouth  of  the 
Dall. 

The  Indians  only  awaited  this  event  to  inaugurate  a  grand  rabbit 
hunt  on  an  island  opposite  their  winter  village  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Dall,  and  when  it  happened,  men,  women,  and  children  crossed  the 
Yukon  and  spent  the  day  in  rounding  up  and  slaughtering  the  animals. 
Their  plan  was  to  have  all  the  women  and  children  enter  the  woods  at 
one  end  of  the  island  and  to  march  through  to  the  other  end  in  a  long 
extended  line,  shouting  and  beating  the  brush  as  they  went.  The 
frightened  animals  were  driven  in  this  way  out  into  the  open  and  fell 
an  easy  prey  to  the  hunters  lying  in  wait  for  them.  During  the  prog- 
ress of  the  hunt  the  Indians  became  much  excited  and  when  the  rabbits 
came  in  sight  a  fusilade  of  shots  greeted  them,  but  the  firing  was  so 
rapid  and  careless  that  the  wonder  is  that  as  many  women  and  children 
were  not  killed  as  rabbits.  Strange  to  say,  however,  but  few  such  acci- 
dents occur.  We  knew  of  only  one  instance  during  the  winter  where 
any  of  the  people  were  wounded  in  one  of  these  battues.  I  happened 
to  be  present  when  this  occurred,  and  was  horrified  to  see  young  Titus, 
a  boy  whom  we  all  knew  on  the  JVunivak,  suddenly  fall  to  the  ground 
and  with  a  heartrending  groan  apparently  give  up  the  ghost.  I  ran 
to  his  assistance,  and  after  finding  that  he  was  not  dead  I  helped  him 
to  his  feet  and  made  a  hasty  examination  of  his  "wound."  A  single 
shot  had  struck  his  thumb  nail  and  slightly  abraidedthe  flesh,  but  had 
passed  on  without  doing  any  further  damage.  When  Titus  fell  all  the 
Indians  incontinently  fled,  and  half  an  hour  afterwards  I  accompanied 
Titus  to  the  village  and  found  every  hunter  hidden  away  i*  his  house 
and  the  women  all  ready  to  set  up  a  death  song.  Meanwhile  Titus, 
after  having  his  arm  put  in  a  sling,  took  to  his  bed  and  was  with  diffi- 
culty persuaded  that  he  was  not  really  very  seriously  injured. 


f*k  *'>•*«# 


FORT  SHOEMAKER,   DALL  RIVER.     TYPICAL  VIEW  OF  WOODLAND  SCENERY— SPRUCE,   BIRCH, 
AND  WILLOW  TREES  PREDOMINATE. 


79 

With  the  closing1  of  the  Yukon  the  weather,  which  had  been  more 
or  less  unsettled  for  some  time,  gradually  grew  colder,  the  snow  fell 
steadily,  and  by  the  20th  of  October  all  the  inequalities  of  the  land 
were  hidden  from  sight  and  the  work  of  making  winter  trails  began 
to  be  prosecuted  in  earnest. 

One  of  the  pleasant  experiences  of  a  winter's  sojourn  in  this 
oountry  is  to  Avalk  through  the  woods  at  this  time  of  the  year  and 
note  the  innumerable  tracks  of  the  little  denizens  of  the  forest  as  they 
appear  in  the  newly  fallen  snow.  Here  can  be  traced  the  dainty 
footsteps  of  the  grouse  as  he  marches  across  the  river  to  some  tiny 
water  hole,  where  one  can  in  imagination  almost  see  him  dip  his  beak 
into  the  babbling  spring  and  then  lift  his  head  with  grateful  thanks  to 
the  Giver  of  all  Good  for  the  draft.  After  quenching  his  thirst  he 
evidently  is  in  no  hurry  to  leave,  as  his  footprints  show.  But  finally, 
as  if  seized  by  some  sudden  thought,  off  he  goes  straight  across  the 
river  again  and  up  the  steep  bank,  where,  if  we  are  so  inclined,  we 
can  follow  and  see  where  he  has  been  perched  on  some  old  fallen  tree 
and  the  tumbled  snow  tells  the  tale  of  a  period  of  strenuous  drum- 
ming. There  a  bunched  imprint  of  four  little  feet  with  sharp  claws 
at  intervals  of  '2  or  3  feet  in  the  snow  (the  distance  depending  entirely 
on  his  state  of  mind  while  running)  shows  plainly  enough  that 
an  ermine  has  passed,  and  there  the  dog-like  track  of  a  predatory  fox 
pierces  the  fleecy  surface,  and  alongside  of  his  trail  there  is  now  and 
then  a  curving  gash  which  the  drooping  wing  of  some  murdered  bird 
he  is  bearing  away  makes  in  the  snow.  If  we  follow  up  this  trail  we 
will  not  see  the  fox.  but  we  will  likely  find  a  soft  little  pile  of  feathers 
and  a  heap  of  well-cleaned  bones  to  tell  the  tale  of  Reynard's  prowess. 
The  country  is  crossed  and  recrossed  with  the  trails  of  the  wild 
animals,  and  after  the  first  month  of  snow  these  have  developed  into 
well-defined  runways  and  beaten  paths  through  the  thickets  of  willow 
and  alder  and  along,  the  banks  of  the  smaller  streams.  The  depth  of 
the  snow  in  former  years  can  be  easily  determined  \>y  the  old  marks  of 
the  rabbit's  teeth  on  the  willow  branches,  and  where  a  moose  has 
passed  is  as  plainly  shown  as  if  the  occurrence  and  time  of  his  visit 
had  been  written  and  posted  on  a  signboard. 

As  soon  as  the  Dafl  froze  over  solid  and  the  winter  trails  were  in 
condition  for  traveling  all  the  members  of  the  command  whose 
duties  would  permit  of  their  absence  from  the  vessel  spent  most  of 
their  time  in  making  short  excursions  through  the  woods  in  search  of 
game  or,  for  those  of  less  energetic  temperament,  the  level  surface  of 
the  river,  completely  sheltered  from  the  wind  by  the  high  banks,  was 
an  ideal  place  for  taking  some  milder  form  of  exercise.  Our  amuse- 
ments at  this  time  of  the  year  consisted  of  hunting  grouse,  which 
were  fairly  plentiful  in  the  woods,  snaring  rabbits,  and  trapping  the 
smaller  animals.  Skating,  bicycle  riding,  football,  and  snowshoeing 
5661—03 12 


80 

absorbed  the  attention  of  some  of  the  party,  while  the  work  of  train- 
ing our  numerous  dogs  was  a  never-failing  source  of  interest  to 
others.  Fort  Hamlin,  the  trading  post  of  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company,  situated  about  9  miles  from  Fort  Shoemaker,  was  the 
objective  point  of  occasional  sled  trips,  and  this  run  on  the  main  trail 
of  the  Yukon  frequently  brought  us  into  contact  with  travelers  faring 
up  and  down  the  river,  from  whom  the  smallest  item  of  news  was 
always  eagerly  received  and  brought  back  to  the  ship  as  the  latest 
bulletin  "from  the  outside." 

The  month  of"  October  is  spent  by  the  Indians  in  their  winter 
houses  as  a  kind  of  holiday  season.  As  a  usual  thing  the  fish  they 
have  taken  during  the  summer  furnish  them  with  food  sufficient  for 
present  needs,  and  beyond  this  they-  have  very  little  concern.  The 
women  do  most  of  the  household  drudgery,  besides  making  the  moc- 
casins, mitts,  and  other  articles  of  clothing  of  native  manufacture; 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are  allowed  a  considerable  amount  of  per- 
sonal liberty  and  are,  as  a  general  rule,  well  treated  by  the  men. 

By  the  middle  of  October  all  the  Indians  living  in  the  vicinity  of 
Dall  River  had  returned  from  their  various  fishing  camps  and  taken 
up  their  quarters  in  the  winter  village  at  the  mouth  of  the  Dall.  Under 
the  care  of  Dr.  White,  and  with  the  assistance  that  was  given  them  by 
the  JVunivak,  most  of  the  natives  who  were  sick  when  we  arrived  at 
this  point  in  September  were  by  this  time  fully  recovered,  and  all 
were  frequent  visitors  at  the  ship.  As  we  were  almost  entirely  depend- 
ent upon  the  native  men  for  our  supply  of  fresh  moose  meat  during 
the  winter,  and  upon  the  women  for  native-made  moccasins,  mitts, 
etc.,  without  which  it  is  impossible  to  get  along  in  this  country,  every 
effort  was  made  to  cultivate  a  friendly  feeling  between  them  and  the 
members  of  the  command.  It  gives  me  pleasure  to  say  that  during 
the  two  winters  we  were  at  Fort  Shoemaker  there  were  less  than  half 
a  dozen  complaints  of  ill  treatment  made  by  the  Indians  against  the 
members  of  the  JVunivak's  crew,  and  not  one  of  these  was  of  a  serious 
nature.  The  conduct  of  the  natives  was  most  exemplary.  There  was 
no  drunkenness  observed  among  them,  although,  like  all  other  natives, 
they  have  an  inordinate  appetite  for  liquor  of  any  description,  and 
their  conduct  on  the  vessel  was  always  marked  by  extreme  deference 
to  our  wishes  and  an  entire  absence  of  intrusiveness.  On  the  whole, 
I  think  that  our  presence  in  the  river  did  much  to  alleviate  the  hard- 
ships of  their  life,  and  they  were  certainly  of  great  assistance  to  us  in 
many  ways.  Of  their  customs  and  manner  of  life  I  shall  endeavor  to 
give  an  account  in  another  part  of  this  report. 

On  October  27  the  mailman  arrived  on  his  first  trip  from  Rampart, 
and  reported  that  the  Yukon  was  not  yet  entirely  closed  below  Fort 
Hamlin,  and  that  on  his  way  up  he  had  been  compelled»to  leave  the 
river  and  travel  along  the  banks.     He  had  had  a  hard  trip,  and  his 


TYPE  OF  INDIAN   HUNTER  AND  SLED  DOGS. 

The  large  dog  in  the  foreground  is  a  St.  Bernard,  imported  from  the  outside;  the  one  on  the  right 
of  the  hunter  is  a  pure  bred  Mahlemute,  and  the  other  two  are  mixed  breed. 


\B  R  A  Rp 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


81 

dogs'  feet  were  in  a  bad  condition.  We  invited  him  to  stop  with  us 
for  a  few  days  in  order  to  rest  his  dogs,  and  the  invitation  was  accepted. 
After  a  rest  of  two  days  the  mailman  left,  taking  our  letters  for  the 
outside,  and  this  event  seemed  to  accentuate  the  fact  that  we  were 
indeed  cut  off  from  the  outside  world.  The  weather  had  been  so  fine 
during  the  month  of  October,  and  we  had  been  so  busy,  that  no  time 
had  been  left  to  think  much  of  our  isolated  situation;  but  with  the 
shortening  of  the  days  and  a  realization  of  the  fact  that  it  would  be 
months  before  we  could  receive  answers  to  the  inquiries  we  had  just 
sent  out  to  our  loved  ones  at  home  came  a  feeling  of  sadness  which  it 
was  impossible  to  prevent  and  which  required  the  utmost  effort  of  the 
will  to  shake  off. 

I  quote  from  my  journal  of  November  1: 

The  rapidly  shortening  days,  the  brief  glimpse  of  the  sun  at  noon  over  the  tops  of 
the  mountains  in  the  south  being  the  chief  event  of  the  twenty-four  hours  worthy 
of  note,  and  the  monotony  of  our  duties  all  tend  to  make  this  time  of  the  year  the 
hardest  to  get  through  with.  In  the  absence  of  birds  to  work  on,  the  doctor  and  I 
to-day  attempted  to  skin  a  mink.  We  found  to  our  sorrow  that  the  animal  has  an 
odoriferous  means  of  defense  fully  the  equal  of  that  of  the  polecat,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  call  to  our  assistance  one  of  the  Indian  boys,  who  agreed  to  skin  the 
mink  if  we  would  give  him  the  carcass.  This  arrangement,  being  eminently  satis- 
factory to  all,  was  agreed  to  without  discussion. 

The  flesh  of  the  mink  and  muskrat  both  is  eaten  by  the  Indians,  and  is  esteemed 
as  a  dainty.  I  have  not  yet  tried  the  mink,  but  I  did  eat  some  muskrat  and  found 
it  excellent,  without  a  particle  of  objectionable  flavor. 

The  month  of  November  was  characterized  by  an  extraordinary 
range  of  temperatures.  During  the  first  week  the  usual  cold  weather 
prevailed,  the  temperature  ranging  from  —10°  to  —25°  F.,  but  after 
this  time  the  weather  turned  much  warmer,  and  on  the  18th  of  the 
month  a  heavy  rainfall  occurred  during  the  night.  This  melted  the 
snow  on  the  roof  and  the  water  soaked  through  into  the  living 
quarters  and  for  a  time  made  it  ver}T  uncomfortable.  After  this, 
however,  the  weather  cleared  and  by  the  end  of  the  month  the  tem- 
perature fell  as  low  as  —50°  F.,  and  remained  at  this  point  for  several 
days.  While  the  weather  was  in  its  unsettled  condition  the  temper- 
ature frequently  fluctuated  over  -10°  during  the  twenty-four  hours. 
On  November  5  the  water  from  the  Yukon  backed  into  the  Dall 
and  raised  the  ice  nearly  2  feet.  The  surface  of  the  ice  was  upheaved 
and  cracked  and  the  trails  were  ruined  by  the  overflow  of  water.  All 
travel  was  for  the  time  being  suspended,  but  with  the  settling  of  the 
weather  and  the  next  heavy  fall  of  snow  things  resumed  their  normal 
condition. 

During  this  period  of  alternately  freezing  and  thawing  weather 
our  attention  was  called  to  the  beautiful  snow  crystals  which  formed 
on  the  windows  of  the  ship  and  upon  the  surface  of  the  river.  These 
crystals   took  the  shape  of  masses  of  feathery  fronds  and  fern-like 


82 

plants,  and  were  especially  beautiful  along-  the  margins  of  surface 
cracks  and  water  holes.  On  very  thin  ice  the  crystals  were  formed 
into  tiny  groups  and  clusters,  composed  of  innumerable  geometric 
figures  which  never  seemed  to  be  exactly  alike  in  an}-  two  localities, 
but  were  apparently  the  result  of  varying  atmospheric  conditions, 
which  caused  them  to  be  deposited  with  the  infinite  variety  of  kaleido- 
scopic designs.  I  made  several  attempts  to  obtain  photographs  of 
these  snow  crystals,  but  they  were  too  delicate  to  permit  of  being 
handled,  and  before  suitable  apparatus  could  be  devised  for  the  purpose 
the  opportunity  had  passed. 

December  opened  with  clear  and  cold  weather.  The  ice  in  the 
Yukon  by  this  time  had  attained  a  thickness  of  about  2  feet,  and  the 
Indians,  who  were  fortunate  enough  to  have  fish  traps,  now  set  them 
through  holes  cut  in  the  ice.  The  traps  consisted  of  two  wing  weirs 
12  feet  long  and  4  feet  high,  and  a  cylindical  basket,  having  in  each 
end  a  cone  securely  fastened,  with  its  apex  pointed  to  the  center  of  the 
basket.  The  weirs  were  set  in  water  from  10  to  12  feet  deep,  at  right 
angles  with  the  current,  and  held  in  this  position  by  long  poles  driven 
into  the  bottom.  The  basket  was  suspended  between  the  ends  of  the 
weirs  at  their  point  of  intersection  and  so  placed  that  fish  either  com- 
ing up  or  down  stream  and  encountering  the  weirs  would  be  com- 
pelled to  enter  the  basket  through  the  inverted  cones  in  order  to  pro- 
ceed. Once  inside  the  basket  they  can  not  escape  owing  to  the  small 
size  of  the  opening  at  the  apex  of  the  cone.  The  hole  through  the  ice 
is  kept  opened  by  the  use  of  a  long-handled  implement  made  in  the 
shape  of  a  double-edged  chisel.  The  traps  are  visited  irregularly,  the 
time  varying  with  the  demand  for  fish  and  the  capacity  of  the  baskets. 
The  Indians  kept  us  pretty  well  supplied  with  fresh  fish  caught  in 
their  traps  during  the  winter,  selling  them  to  us  at  the  rate  of  25 
cents  per  pound  or  exchanging  them  for  such  articles  as  flour,  tea, 
sugar,  etc.,  which  we  could  spare  from  our  supplies. 

Most  of  the  fish  taken  at  this  season  were  of  the  genus  Coregonus, 
or  white  fish,  of  which  there  were  several  varieties,  and  all  of  them 
furnished  an  excellent  substitute  for  our  rather  monotonous  fare  of 
canned  goods  and  moose  meat.  Another  common  winter  fish  is  the 
"losh"  (Lota  maculosa?),  which  is  very  popular  with  the  natives  on 
account  of  its  very  rich  oily  liver,  but  is  not  much  eaten  by  the  white 
population,  except  when  no  other  fish  can  be  obtained. 

On  December  2  our  Indian  neighbor  Sam  arrived  from  his  cache  in 
the  mountains,  about  40  miles  away,  with  two  legs  of  moose  meat 
which  he  and  his  younger  brother  Harry  had  hauled  to  camp  on  a  sled 
themselves.  They  had  been  on  the  trail  for  three  days,  with  hardly 
anything  to  eat  except  meat,  and  had  had  a  hard  time.  Sai>?  was  very 
nearly  exhausted  and  immediately  went  to  bed  on  reaching  his  house, 
but  Harry,  who  was  a  boy  of  14  years  of  age,  seemed  but  little  the 


FORT  SHOEMAKER,    DALL  RIVER.     WINTER   TRAIL   MADE   BY  THE  CREW  OF  THE   NUNIVAK 
TO  REACH  THE  YUKON   RIVER   BY  A  SHORT  CUT. 


83 

worse  for  his  trip,  although  no  doubt  he  had  worked  fully  as  hard  as 
Sam. 

On  December  6,  all  the  Indians  living  at  Rampart  House,  a  native 
settlement  situated  on  the  Yukon  6  miles  above  Dall  River,  came  down 
to  pay  a  social  visit  on  their  kinsmen  at  our  place.  A  dance  at  the 
village  was  to  be  given  to  welcome  the  visitors  and  the  officers  of  the 
Nunivak  received  a  special  invitation  to  attend.  Incidentally  we  were 
asked  to  contribute  something  for  the  feast  which  was  to  precede  the 
dance,  and  we  responded  by  making  a  donation  of  a  sack  of  flour  and 
some  sugar,  tea,  condensed  milk,  etc.  When  Charlie,  one  of  the 
Indians  who  acted  as  spokesman  of  the  invitation  committee,  looked 
over  this  donation  he  affected  to  be  surprised  that  we  had  not  also 
given  them  some  baking  powder.  The  baking-  powder  was  added  with 
suitable  apologies  for  the  oversight,  and  then  he  expressed  a  fear  that 
the  Indians  would  be  offended  unless  a  can  of  lard  was  included  in  the 
list  of  presents.  We,  however,  drew  the  line  at  the  lard,  and  told  him 
that  perhaps  after  all  our  presence  was  not  desired  at  the  dance,  and 
we  would  take  back  the  food  and  stay  at  home.  At  this  all  of  the 
Indians  protested  that  this  would  never  do,  and  seizing  the  groceries 
they  carried  them  off  with  many  voluble  expressions  of  thanks,  in  the 
midst  of  which  the  voice  of  Charlie  was  the  loudest  of  all. 

The  dance  was  held  at  night  in  a  large  cabin  owned  by  Paul,  and 
was  largely  attended.  In  fact,  too  crowded  for  comfort.  Room  was 
made  for  the  officers  who  attended  by  Mrs.  Paul  placing*  her  sleeping 
baby  under  the  bed  and  inviting  us  very  politely  to  take  seats  on  that 
article  of  furniture.  Soon  a  "'set"  was  formed  of  eight  couples  and 
the  dance  began.  Music  was  furnished  by  two  Indian  boys,  William 
and  Theodore,  who  took  turns  scraping  the  strings  of  a  much-battered 
violin  and  the  figures  were  called  out  by  Rampart  Peter  who  had  had 
the  advantage  of  a  winter's  sojourn  in  a  white-mans'  town  and  enjoyed 
his  position  as  social  leader  to  the  utmost.  His  interpretation  of  the 
figures  was  somewhat  bewildering  to  the  outsider,  but  the  Indians  all 
settled  down  to  the  work  of  getting  through  with  the  "  set "  with  the 
greatest  degree  of  earnestness.  The  men  shuffled  over  the  floor  with 
their  eyes  glazed  in  a  vacant  stare,  and  the  women  with  lowered  e\7es 
and  arms  held  rigidly  to  their  sides  kept  time  with  the  music  in  a 
most  decorous  manner.  When,  however,  Peter  wanted  to  interject  a 
little  more  life  into  the  dance,  he  would  call  out  "  Swing  your  partner 
once  and  a  half  time  'round,"  and  each  buck  would  seize  his  partner 
and  the  air  for  a  moment  would  be  filled  with  flying  skirts  and  twink- 
ling moccasined  feet.  This  remarkable  maneuver  having  been  suc- 
cessfully performed,  the  orderly  progress  of  the  dance  would  be 
resumed  as  if  nothing  out  of  the  usual  course  of  events  had  occurred. 
The  signal  to  stop  was  usually  given  by  the  musician  ceasing  to  play 
when  he  felt  that  he  needed  a  rest  and  all  the  dancers  would  leave  the 


84 

center  of  the  room  and  seat  themselves  on  the  floor  along  the  walls. 
As  a  mark  of  special  honor  one  dance  was  reserved  for  the  white  men 
by  our  hosts,  and  the  women  having  each  chosen  her  partner,  we  were 
led  out  on  the  floor  and  duly  put  through  our  paces. 

These  dances  take  place  at  frequent  intervals  during  the  winter 
months,  when  the  Indians  are  living  in  their  winter  houses;  that  is  to 
say,  during  the  months  of  October,  November,  and  December.  It  is 
but  just  to  say  of  them  that,  at  places  where  they  have  not  been  con- 
taminated by  association  with  vicious  white  men,  the  dances  are  con- 
ducted in  the  most  orderly  manner  and  form  a  very  innocent  source  of 
amusement  to  these  people.  The  old  native  dances  have  long  since 
been  abandoned  by  all  these  Indians,  with  the  exception  perhaps  of 
some  of  the  communities  in  isolated  localities,  but  we  witnessed  on 
one  or  two  occasions  a  woman's  dance  at  Dall  River,  which  is  perhaps 
a  survival  of  some  ancient  ceremonial  dance  among  the  Indians.  A 
short  description  of  this  dance  may  not  be  out  of  place  at  this  time. 

The  signal  for  the  dance  is  usually  given  by  one  of  the  old  men  of 
the  tribe,  who  takes  his  place  on  one  side  of  the  room  in  which  the 
dance  is  to  take  place  and  begins  to  chant  a  song  commemorative  of 
the  achievements  of  some  absent  or  dead  member  of  the  tribe.  He 
is  quickly  joined  by  other  men  who  join  in  the  song  and  produce  a  not 
inharmonious  chorus. '  As  the  song  proceeds,  the  women,  who  are  now 
grouped  on  the  other  side  of  the  room,  rise  and  begin  to  keep  time 
with  the  singers  by  a  gently  swaying  movement  of  the  upper  portion 
of  their  bodies  while  their  eyes  are  studiously  kept  fixed  upon  the 
ground  and  their  arms  are  extended  with  the  palms  of  the  hands  down- 
ward at  a  slight  angle  with  the  body.  As  the  voices  of  the  singers 
gradually  increase  in  volume  the  cadence  of  the  song  also  increases. 
The  women  bend  more  and  more  toward  the  floor,  and  their  hair,  which 
has  been  loosened  before  entering  the  dance,  is  allowed  to  fall  around 
their  faces,  and  the  appearance  of  the  dancers  at  this  stage  of  the 
dance  is  very  wild  and  picturesque.  During  the  progress  of  the  dance 
several  distinct  songs  are  sung,  all  of  which  have  apparently  some 
particular  significance  and  the  airs  of  which  are  without  exception 
exceedingly  harmonious  and  pleasing.  The  dance  ends  abruptly  with 
the  discontinuance  of  the  singing  and  the  women  resume  their  seats 
and  proceed  to  braid  up  each  other's  hair  again. 

I  was  not  sufficiently  well  acquainted  with  the  language  of  the 
Indians  to  catch  the  full  meaning  of  the  songs,  but  from  what  I 
learned  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  all  of  them  are  commemorative 
in  character,  and  from  the  accurate  concordance  of  the  words  with  the 
airs  as  sung  it  is  more  than  likely  that  they  are  also  poetic  in  structure. 
The  Indians  as  a  rule  are  exceedingly  averse  to  giving  any  informa- 
tion in  regard  to  their  folklore  or  traditions.  They  feai; ridicule  more 
than  death,  and  for  this  reason,  and  because  perhaps  their  older  super- 


85 

stitions  have  been  laughed  at  by  the  whites,  the}"  have  been  taught  to 
believe  that  their  myths  and  legends  are  something-  of  which  they 
ought  to  be  ashamed.  The  result  of  this  sensitiveness  has  been,  per- 
haps, to  permit  this  part  of  their  history  to  be  gradually  forgotten. 

On  December  10  Lieut.  H.  C.  Rogers,  U.  S.  Army,  on  his  way  from 
Fort  Egbert  on  the  Upper  Yukon  to  Rampart  City,  arrived  at  Fort 
Shoemaker,  and,  at  my  invitation,  stopped  for  a  day's  rest  on  the 
Nunvmk.  Mr.  Rogers  brought  us  the  first  authentic  news  of  the 
reelection  of  President  McKinley.  The  news  had  been  received  at 
Eagle  by  telegraph  from  the  outside. 

On  December  20  Assistant  Engineer  T.  G.  Lewton,  R.  C.  S. ,  arrived 
from  St.  Michael  and  reported  for  duty. 

Mr.  Lewton  informed  me  that  his  orders  for  the  vessel  had  not 
been  received  until  after  the  departure  from  St.  Michael  of  the  last 
vessel  bound  up  the  river,  and  in  consequence  he  had  been  compelled 
to  remain  at  St.  Michael  until  the  26th  of  November,  at  which  time 
he  left  the  coast  in  company  with  the  mail  man  on  his  first  trip  across 
the  portage  from  Unalaklik  to  Kaltag  on  the  Yukon  by  dog  team. 
The  journey  across  the  portage  was  a  very  arduous  one,  on  account 
of  the  lack  of  snow  on  the  trail,  and  when  the  river  was  reached  it 
was  found  necessary  to  break  trail  over  the  ice  almost  the  entire  dis- 
tance from  Kaltag  to  Fort  Gibbon,  a  distance  of  600  miles.  Upon  his 
arrival  at  this  point  he  gladly  accepted  the  invitation  of  the  officers 
of  the  post  to  stop  there  long  enough  to  recover  from  the  fatigue  of 
his  long  journey  before  proceeding  farther.  Up  to  this  time  he  had 
not  lost  a  day,  but  had  with  the  greatest  persistence  kept  up  with 
the  mailmen  along  the  route,  and  when  he  arrived  at  Fort  Gibbon  he 
was  suffering  considerably  from  the  effects  of  the  exposure  and  fatigue 
of  his  trip.  After  a  few  days'  rest  at  Fort  Gibbon  he  again  set  out  on 
the  trail  and  encountered  a  severe  blizzard  while  passing  through  the 
Ramparts,  and  was  compelled  to  camp  twice  without  a  tent  or  stove  on 
account  of  the  high  wind  and  low  temperature.  Notwithstanding  all 
these  difficulties  he  arrived  at  Fort  Shoemaker  in  fine  shape  and  with- 
out any  serious  mishap.  Several  times  while  on  the  journey  his  face 
and  feet  had  been  badly  frozen,  but,  being  in  the  company  with  expe- 
rienced travelers  who  were  accustomed  to  these  accidents  and  knew 
how  to  treat  them,  he  received  no  permanent  injury. 

When  the  fact  is  considered  that  Mr.  Lewton  started  out  on  this 
midwinter  trip  with  no  experience  whatever  of  the  difficulties  and 
dangers  of  the  trail,  and  with  scarcely  any  preparation  for  the  journey, 
the  energy  and  determination  he  displayed  in  keeping  up  with  the 
mailmen,  who  are  the  fastest  travelers  in  the  country,  is  highly  com- 
mendable. 

Christmas  at  Fort  Shoemaker  passed  with  more  than  the  usual 
amount  of  jollity  and  good-fellowship.     Through  the  thoughtfulness 


86 

of  Lieutenant  Camden  the  crew  had  been  furnished  with  footballs, 
baseballs,  boxing  gloves,  etc.,  and  on  Christmas  day  a  series  of  athletic 
games  was  arranged  in  which  most  of  our  men  and  some  of  the  crew 
of  the  steamer  Alice  took  part.  A  large  crowd  of  Indians  gathered  to 
witness  the  contests,  and  the  presence  of  several  wood  choppers  and 
prospectors  who  came  into  camp  to  spend  the  day  added  considerably 
to  the  liveliness  of  the  occasion.  A  course  over  the  level  surface  of  the 
river  was  laid  out,  and  over  this  the  competition  for  the  several  prizes 
for  running  races  was  held.  Snowshoe  races,  sack  races,  and  relay 
races  furnished  all  hands  with  a  great  deal  of  sport,  but  the  contest 
which  seemed  to  cause  the  greatest  amount  of  amusement  was  one  in 
which  a  certain  number  of  potatoes  are  placed  in  line  at  a  distance  of 
a  yard  apart  and  are  picked  up  as  quickly  as  possible,  one  at  a  time, 
and  deposited  in  a  bucket,  which  must  be  kept  at  the  end  of  the  line. 
This  game  requires  a  great  deal  of  running  back  and  forth,  and  when  a 
dozen  men  are  in  the  competition  it  becomes  very  exciting.  The  Indians 
had  never  seen  an  exhibition  of  the  game  before  and  showed  their 
appreciation  of  fine  plays  made  by  some  favorite  by  loud  yells  and 
cries  of  encouragement.  After  the  sports  in  the  open  air  had  been 
concluded  the  men  adjourned  to  the  gymnasium  and  a  series  of  boxing 
and  wrestling  matches  took  place.  The  Indians  joined  in  the  latter 
contests,  and  some  of  them  proved  themselves  no  mean  antagonists. 
They  know  nothing  of  the  science  of  wrestling  as  understood  by  white 
men,  but  among  the  young  men  there  are  man}^  who  are  capable  of 
extreme  endurance,  and  their  muscles,  especially  of  the  back  and  legs, 
are  like  bands  of  steel.  A  Christmas  dinner,  composed  of  the  regular 
ship's  rations  augmented  by  donation  of  a  liberal  quantity  of  delicacies 
from  the  private  stores  of  the  officers,  was  served  to  the  men,  and  the 
day  was  brought  to  a  successful  close  by  an  exhibition  of  fireworks  at 
the  Indian  village  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Camden. 

Among  the  pleasantest  events  of  the  day  and  one  which  made  our 
second  Christmas  at  Fort  Shoemaker  so  much  more  enjoyable  than  the 
first,  was  a  visit  I  received  from  a  committee  appointed  by  the  crew 
to  wait  upon  me  and  to  express  the  thanks  of  the  enlisted  force  of  the 
vessel  for  the  universal  good  treatment  they  had  received  from  the 
officers,  and  to  wish  for  us  a  Happy  New  Year. 

Two  days  after  Christmas  Lieut.  H.  J.  Ericksen,  U.  S.  Army,  in 
charge  of  a  party  engaged  in  making  a  reconnoissance  of  the  country 
between  Rampart  City  and  Eagle,  arrived  at  Fort  Shoemaker  and 
spent  the  night  with  us.  Lieutenant  Ericksen's  party  consisted  of  a 
topographer  and  two  packers,  with  two  dog  teams  to  carry  their  camp 
outfit  and  supplies,  and  the  object  of  the  reconnoissance  was  to  ascer- 
tain the  best  route  for  the  army  telegraph  line  at  presentv*inder  con- 
struction along  the  Yukon  River.  An  invitation  to  accompany  the 
party  was  kindly  extended  to  any  of  the  officers  of  the  Nunvoak  who 


FORT  SHOEMAKER     DALL   RIVER.      TYPICAL  WINTER   WOODLAND  SCENE— BIRCH   AND 
ALDER  TREES  INCRUSTED  BY   ICE. 


m 


1 


87 

could  go  by  Mr.  Ericksen,  and  as  1  desired  to  obtain  information  of 
life  on  the  trail  by  actual  experience,  I  gladly  availed  myself  of  the 
offer.  Lieutenant  Wheeler  having  also  expressed  a  desire  to  take 
this  trip,  the  necessary  arrangements  were  made  to  have  him  go  along. 

We  left  Fort  Shoemaker  at  daylight  on  January  2,  and  after  an 
absence  of  twenty-three  days  Lieutenant  Wheeler  and  I  returned  to 
the  vessel,  having  had  a  most  varied  and  interesting  experience  while 
on  the  trail.  During  the  trip,  which  was  made  along  the  Yukon  from 
Dall  River  to  the  mouth  of  Beaver  Creek,  we  encountered  many  obsta- 
cles, and  the  sleds  being  heavily  loaded  our  progress  was  slow  and  veiy 
laborious.  The  condition  of  the  trails  was  about  as  bad  as  the}^  could 
be,  and  the  temper  as  well  as  the  stamina  of  every  one  of  the  party 
was  frequently  taxed  to  the  limit  of  human  endurance.  Our  fare  was 
necessarily  of  the  simplest  kind,  and  consisted  of  beans,  bacon,  and 
baking-powder  biscuits  with  large  quantities  of  tea  to  help  fill  up  the 
yawning  cavity  which  always  seemed  to  be  present  in  our  stomachs. 
The  weather  was  all  that  could  be  desired  for  persons  anxious  for 
experience  on  the  trail,  as  it  varied  from  temperatures  so  high  as  to 
make  traveling  very  disagreeable  on  account  of  the  heat  to  those  so 
low  that  it  was  simply  impossible  to  move  out  of  camp.  At  one  time 
we  had  to  remain  in  camp  for  nearly  two  weeks  with  the  temperature 
ranging  from  —6oc  to  —72°  F.  During  all  this  time  we  slept  in  thin 
cotton  tents,  but  although  the  slightest  imprudence  would  cause  the 
face,  hands,  or  feet  of  members  of  the  part}7  to  be  frozen  if  left 
exposed,  no  serious  injuries  were  received,  and  when  Mr.  Wheeler  and 
I  finally  returned  to  the  ship,  we  both  felt  that  in  spite  of  the  hard 
trip  we  had  been  ampl}'  repaid  for  all  our  labor  by  the  experience  that 
had  been  gained.  A  more  extended  account  of  this  journey  will  be 
found  in  another  portion  of  this  report.  (See  Transportation  and 
Traffic.) 

The  latter  part  of  January  and  a  large  portion  of  February  was 
marked  by  excessively  cold  weather,  the  temperature  at  several  times 
averaging  —  50c  F.  for  two  or  three  days  in  succession. 

There  was  much  suffering  among  the  Indians  at  this  time  owing  to 
the  lack  of  sufficient  food.  Sickness  during  the  preceding  summer 
had  prevented  them  from  laying  up  the  customary  amount  of  fish  for 
winter  use,  and  although  the  supplies  which  I  issued  them  from  time 
to  time  from  the  Nunivdk  averted  actual  starvation,  the  health  of  the 
community  suffered  for  want  of  fish,  which  seems  to  be  a  necessary 
part  of  the  diet  of  these  people.  Nearly  every  native  showed  evidences 
of  digestive  disorders,  and  before  the  hunters  began  to  bring  in  fresh 
moose  meat  an  epidemic  of  a  peculiar  form  of  skin  disease,  which  Dr. 
White  ascribed  to  their  low  and  restricted  diet,  spread  through  the 
village.  Several  children  who  were  not  yet  weaned  died  as  a  result  of 
insufficient  nutrition,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  the 


88 

parents  could  be  induced  to  follow  the  directions  of  the  doctor,  who 
tried  to  save  their  lives  by  giving  them  artificially  prepared  foods  fur- 
nished by  the  vessel.  In  one  case  the  doctor  had  prescribed  malted 
milk  to  be  given  to  a  child  about  2  years  of  age  which  was  evidently 
slowly  dying  of  starvation.  Careful  directions  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  the  food  was  to  be  administered  were  given  to  the  mother  of 
the  child,  and  we  all  confidently  hoped  to  save  its  life.  But  it  grew 
steadily  weaker,  and  finally  a  rigid  investigation  by  the  doctor  proved 
that  the  parents  had  failed  to  give  the  child  the  milk  as  directed,  but 
were  using  it  themselves  to  put  in  their  tea.  When  we  expressed  dis- 
approbation of  their  action,  which  the  doctor  did  in  no  uncertain 
words,  the  poor  wretches  seemed  to  be  utterly  dumbfounded.  They 
had  made  up  their  minds  that  the  child  was  fated  to  die,  and  although 
there  is  no  doubt  they  were  fond  of  it,  they  simply  sat  hour  b}^  hour 
by  its  side  waiting  for  the  end.  It  frequently  happened  that  the 
shroud  of  the  sick  would  be  made  before  death  took  place,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  the  other  arrangements  for  burial  were  never 
hurried. 

In  order  to  give  as  much  assistance  to  the  natives  as  possible  without 
pauperizing  them,  I  induced  several  of  the  men  who  had  families  to 
support  to  cut  wood  along  the  banks  of  the  Yukon  where  we  could 
get  it  for  the  use  of  the  vessel  upon  the  opening  of  navigation  in  the 
spring  and  paid  them  in  advance  foi  this  service.  But  their  shiftless, 
irresponsible  disposition  prevented  them  from  taking  full  advantage 
of  this  opportunity  for  obtaining  remunerative  employment,  and  it 
was  only  when  they  were  driven  to  work  by  actual  want  that  they 
would  leave  their  cabins  and  go  to  cutting  wood  for  a  living. 

The  approach  of  spring  and  the  moose-hunting  season  was  the  signal 
for  a  general  exodus  of  the  natives  from  their  winter  villages  on  the 
river  to  the  mountains  of  the  interior  country.  B}T  the  last  week  in 
February  nearly  every  native,  with  the  exception  of  the  very  old  and 
feeble  ones,  had  started  out  on  their  annual  hunting  and  trapping  trips, 
leaving  the  sick  and  helpless  to  get  along  as  best  they  might  until  their 
return.  Among  the  unfortunate  ones  who  were  too  sick  or  feeble  to 
start  out  on  the  hunt  was  our  old  friend  Sam,  who  had  been  more  or 
less  under  the  weather  for  a  month  or  more,  most  of  the  time  being 
confined  to  his  bed  suffering  from  a  severe  cold  and  some  form  of 
stomach  trouble  which  made  it  impossible  for  him  to  retain  his  food. 
Finally  he  managed  to  crawl  up  to  the  ship  one  da}T  late  in  February, 
but  he  was  still  very  weak  and  miserable.  Three  days  after  rising 
from  his  sick  bed  news  was  brought  into  camp  that  a  large  moose  had 
been  seen  out  on  the  Koyukuk  trail,  and  we  were  astonished  to  hear 
that  Sam  had  started  out  on  its  trail.  At  the  end  of  two  4ays  ne 
returned  to  camp,  dragging  a  sled  upon  which  were  two  immense  legs 
of  moose,  and  he  informed  us  that  he  had  hunted  down  and  killed  two 


Trar  y 


Of 


THE 


Utf\VE*S|TY 


89 

large  and  three  small  moose  during  his  absence.  To  accomplish  this 
he  must  have  traveled  at  least  50  miles  on  snowshoes,  and  during  the 
entire  time  of  his  absence  he  had  "no  other  shelter  than  that  afforded 
by  a  brush  hut  hastily  constructed  in  the  woods,  and  perhaps  not  this. 
His  food  while  on  the  hunt  was  necessarily  very  scanty,  as  the  method 
of  hunting  the  moose,  which  is  simply  to  get  on  its  trail  and  persist- 
ently follow  it  up  until  the  animal  is  worn  out  and  can  be  approached 
close  enough  to  be  shot,  makes  it  necessary  for  the  hunter  to  discard 
every  ounce  of  weight  to  be  carried  outside  of  his  rifle  and  a  few 
rounds  of  ammunition.  The  incident  is  recorded  to  show  the  remark- 
able recuperative  powers  of  these  people  under  certain  conditions. 
The  intense  yearning  which  they  manifest  for  the  hard  life  of  the  trail 
when  the  time  comes  each  year  to  be  moving  after  game  is  one  of  the 
peculiarities  of  the  Alaskan  Indians  which  must  always  be  carefully 
considered  in  any  attempt  made  to  better  their  condition  in  life.  The 
desire  to  hunt  and  fish  is  instinctive  with  them,  and  if  anything  pre- 
vents them  from  following  out  the  promptings  of  their  natures  in  this 
direction  they  soon  lose  strength  of  character  and  become  physically 
weak  and  an  easy  pre}^  to  the  mildest  form  of  disease. 

During  the  month  of  February  we  experienced  a  period  of  remark- 
ably warm  weather.  The  temperature  suddenly  rose  from  36  below 
zero  to  45  above  zero  in  less  than  twelve  hours  and  remained  above 
the  freezing  point  for  three  days.  We  had  on  hand  a  quantit}^  of 
fresh  meat,  game,  fish,  etc.,  and  at  one  time  feared  that  it  would  be 
spoiled,  but  by  burying  it  in  snow  and  keeping  it  well  covered  we 
managed  to  keep  it  frozen  until  the  return  of  cold  weather.  The  trails 
on  the  river  during  this  warm  spell  were  a  mass  of  slush  and  running 
water  and  travel  for  the  time  being  was  at  a  standstill.  Everj^body 
suffered  more  or  less  from  the  effects  of  the  unseasonable  weather  and 
were  glad  when  it  was  over. 

On  February  13  Mr.  Stewart  Menzies,  the  auditor  of  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company,  accompanied  by  two  traveling  companions,  Messrs. 
Hill  and  Mariner,  arrived  at  the  JYunivak  on  their  way  from  St. 
Michael  to  Dawson,  and  we  were  glad  to  learn  that  the  party 
intended  to  make  a  short  stop  at  Dall  River  in  order  to  give  their  dogs 
a  rest  before  proceeding  farther.  To  add  to  our  pleasure  Messrs. 
Duncan  and  Wobber,  the  agents  of  two  of  the  trading  companies  at 
Rampart  City,  arrived  in  camp  next  day  on  a  visit  to  the  officers  of  the 
ship. 

The  presence  of  so  many  new  faces  cheered  us  all  up  wonderfully, 
and  although  there  was  no  fresh  news  to  be  had  from  the  visitors  they 
were  none  the  less  welcome.  To  show  our  appreciation  of  this  mid- 
winter visit  an  entertainment  was  given  on  board  the  NunivaJc  and 
all  the  strangers  were  invited.  We  were  fortunate  in  having  on  board 
a  piano  and  several  other  musical  instruments  and  a  most  enjoyable 


90 

musical  concert  was  inaugurated.  A  bowl  of  eggnog  was  brewed  for 
the  occasion,  and  in  the  midst  of  our  arctic  surroundings,  but  with 
hearts  full  of  joy  and  thankfulness  for  good  health,  we  drank  to  our 
dear  ones  at  home. 

The  memory  of  the  kindly,  beaming  faces  around  the  board  on  that 
winter  night  will  always  remain  with  me  a&  one  of  the  pleasantest 
souvenirs  of  our  sojourn  in  the  north.  May  each  member  of  that 
little  companj'  cherish  in  his  heart  an  equally  pleasant  recollection  of 
the  occasion! 

The  days  were  now  long  enough  to  permit  of  the  employment  of 
the  men  in  the  woods  again,  and  after  the  enforced  confinement  to  the 
limits  of  our  quarters  during  the  long,  dark  days  of  winter,  it  was  an 
agreeable  change  for  them  to  get  into  the  woods  once  more.  A  good 
supply  of  fuel  was  still  remaining  from  the  amount  on  hand  upon 
entering  winter  quarters,  but  as  this  would  not  last  until  the  opening 
of  navigation  every  effort  was  made  to  have  a  sufficient  quantity  cut 
and  hauled  to  the  vessel  before  the  opening  of  spring  would  cause  the 
work  of  cutting  wood  to  be  abandoned.  The  scarcity  of  available 
timber  near  the  vessel  made  it  necessary  to  go  farther  and  farther 
away  from  the  banks  of  the  river  to  find  suitable  trees  to  cut,  and 
here  our  dogs  were  brought  into  requisition  to  haul  out  the  logs  on 
sleds.  Without  their  aid  we  could  hardly  have  accomplished  the  work. 
An  attempt  was  made  to  burn  wood  obtained  by  cutting  some  of  the 
poplar  trees  (Popuhis  halsamifera)  which  were  abundant  near  the 
vessel,  but  they  were  found  to  be  so  full  of  moisture  that  they  could 
not  be  used  for  the  purpose. 

On  Februai*}'  15  Mr.  Lewton,  accompanied  by  the  carpenter  and  one 
of  the  oilers,  left  the  vessel  on  a  hunting  trip.  They  followed  the 
Koyukuk  trail  for  about  15  or  20  miles  and  then  pushed  across  coun- 
try to  the  foothills  of  the  mountains  lying  west  of  Fort  Shoemaker. 
A  light  fall  of  snow,  which  covered  the  crust  formed  during  the  warm 
spell  of  the  previous  week,  made  ideal  hunting  conditions,  but  after 
a  week's  absence  the  party  returned  without  having  seen  any  signs  of 
moose.  The  persistent  hunting  of  the  animal  in  the  vicinity  of  Dall 
River  has  no  doubt  driven  it  into  less  accessible  localities,  and  the 
few  that  are  killed  hereabouts  are  probably  stragglers.  We  did  not 
suffer  for  the  want  of  fresh  meat,  however,  as  the  Indians,  who  had 
gone  hunting  into  the  mountains  lying  northeast  of  us,  frequentty 
came  into  camp  with  a  sled  load  of  meat  and  reported  that  moose 
were  very  plentiful  in  that  locality.  Several  attempts  were  made 
by  members  of  the  party  to  induce  the  Indians  to  act  as  guides  and 
show  our  hunters  where  to  look  for  moose  and  how  to  trail  them. 
But  they  all  seem  to  have  a  rooted  objection  to  perform  this  sort  of 
service.  It  is  probably  well  that  it  is  so,  as  the  animal  at  present 
furnishes  the  Indian  with  the  principal  means  for  his  support,  and  if 


o   1 

u.  a 


C 
z 
<    « 


m 


91 

the  hunting  of  it  is  once  taken  up  by  the  whites  it  will  no  doubt  be 
exterminated. 

March  came  in  very  mild  and  spring-like,  but  the  weather  was 
extremely  cold  again  by  the  middle  of  the  month.  Strong  winds  pre- 
vailed, and  at  times  these  were  so  high  that  travel  was  much  interfered 
with  on  the  Yukon.  Where  we  were  situated  was  almost  completely 
sheltered,  but  we  could  see  the  blinding  clouds  of  snow  swirling  down 
the  main  stream  past  the  mouth  of  the  Dall,  and  now  and  then  a 
belated  traveler  staggered  in  from  the  trail  to  seek  shelter  until  the 
wind  subsided.  On  March  13  Judge  James  Wickersham,  of  the  cir- 
cuit court  of  Alaska,  arrived  from  Rampart  City,  where  he  had  been 
holding  a  term  of  court,  and  we  were  glad  to  welcome  him  on  board 
for  the  night.  A  furious  gale  of  wind  from  the  northeast  sprang  up 
during  the  night  and  effectually  prevented  the  judge  and  his  party 
from  proceeding  on  their  way,  and  at  11  a.  m.  Mr.  Downing,  the  mail 
contractor,  arrived  from  Fort  Hamlin  and  sought  shelter  from  the 
storm  with  us.  He  stated  that  he  had  been  more  than  four  hours 
coming  the  9  miles  from  Hamlin,  and  although  he  is  an  exceptionally 
hard  traveler  both  he  and  his  dogs  were  almost  exhausted  when  they 
pulled  up  at  the  Nunvvak. 

On  March  15  the  storm  abated  and  our  guests  left  the  ship  on  their 
way  up  the  river.  The  next  da}'  Mr.  George  Sharp,  who  had  a  con- 
tract to  furnish  the  arm}'  post  at  Fort  Gibbon  with  600,000  feet  of 
saw-log  timber,  arrived  at  the  vessel  and  requested  permission  to  have 
his  party  of  10  men  remain  here  until  he  could  locate  a  body  of  timber 
in  the  vicinity  from  which  he  would  be  able  to  secure  the  desired 
amount  of  saw  logs.  I  allowed  the  party  to  take  up  their  quarters  in 
one  of  our  vacant  log  houses,  and  Mr.  Sharp  left  next  morning  on  a 
tour  of  inspection  of  the  country.  On  the  25th  of  the  month  he 
returned,  and  informed  me  that  he  had  been  unable  to  find  any  timber 
large  enough  for  his  purposes  either  on  the  Dall,  Yukon,  or  Ozina 
rivers  within  100  miles  of  Fort  Shoemaker,  and  that  he  would  have 
to  return  to  the  post  and  give  up  his  contract,  or  possibly  renew  the 
search  for  good  timber  on  some  of  the  tributary  streams  of  the  Tan- 
ana  River.  The  incident  is  related  as  evidence  of  the  fact  that  at  the 
present  time  nearly  all  of  the  available  timber  of  merchantable  size 
has  been  cut  off  along  the  banks  of  the  Yukon  and  its  tributary  streams 
in  this  vicinity.  The  inroads  made  upon  the  forests  to  supply  fuel  for 
the  steamers  plying  on  the  river  have  been  tremendous  during  the  last 
four  years,  and  it  will  not  be  very  long  before  all  of  the  timber  within 
easy  reach  of  the  steamers  will  be  gone  and  they  will  have  to  use  some 
other  sort  of  fuel,  or  else  tramways  must  be  built  to  transport  wood 
from  points  at  a  distance  from  the  river  which  under  present  condi- 
tions are  too  remote  to  permit  of  the  timber  being  utilized  as  a  source 
of  fuel  supply. 


92 

The  trails  along  the  river  at  this  season  are  in  their  best  condition. 
Our  last  mail  came  through  from  the  States  in  thirty-two  days,  which 
is  about  as  fast  as  it  can  be  carried  under  the  present  conditions. 
From  one  of  the  Indians  who  returned  from  a  hunting  trip  on  the 
20th  of  March  I  learned  that  Old  Jacob  and  his  family  of  three  women 
had  been  seen  encamped  on  the  river  about  50  miles  from  Fort  Shoe- 
maker, and  that  they  were  all  suffering  for  food.  The  old  man  had  not 
been  able  to  kill  any  game,  and  as  these  natives  are  slow  at  rendering 
assistance  to  each  other  I  sent  word  to  Old  Jacob  to  return  to  Fort 
Shoemaker  and  I  would  see  that  he  had  food  enough  to  keep  him  and 
his  family  from  starving  until  the  opening  of  the  river.  In  the  course 
of  a  few  days  I  heard  from  the  old  man,  and  the  message  he  sent  was 
to  the  effect  that  he  expected  to  kill  plenty  of  moose  by  and  by,  and 
did  not  want  to  come  back;  but  if  I  would  send  him  some  tobacco  he 
would  be  greatly  obliged.  As  1  have  already  stated,  the  craving  for 
the  annual  hunt  is  so  intense  with  these  people  that  it  is  almost  impos- 
sible to  help  them  in  the  ordinary  ways.  I  hardly  expected  Jacob  to 
forego  the  pleasures  of  the  chase  to  come  in  and  work  for  a  living, 
and  so  I  was  not  surprised  at  his  answer.  I  subsequently  learned  that 
he  did  succeed  in  killing  a  moose  just  in  the  nick  of  time  to  save  him- 
self and  his  family  from  starvation. 

By  the  20th  of  March  the  men  had  cut  enough  wood  to  last  us  until 
the  opening  of  the  river,  and  this  work  was  discontinued.  The 
remainder  of  the  month  was  spent  in  hauling  it  into  the  ship  with  the 
dog  teams  and  cutting  it  up  into  suitable  lengths  for  use  in  the 
furnaces. 

The  trails  along  the  Dall  for  several  miles  were  now  in  excellent 
condition  and  afforded  a  splendid  road  for  the  use  of  the  bicycles. 
The  temperature  hardly  ever  went  lower  than  10°  below  zero,  and 
in  the  absence  of  wind  this  sort  of  weather  was  ideal  for  exercise  on 
the  wheel. 

Since  the  above  was  written  it  has  been  decided  by  the  Northern 
Commercial  Company  to  use  oil  as  fuel  on  its  steamers  on  the  Yukon. 
Tanks  for  storing  the  oil  have  been  erected  at  convenient  points  along 
the  river,  and  it  is  expected  that  oil-burning  furnaces  will  be  installed 
in  all  of  their  river  steamers  by  the  end  of  the  season  of  1902. 

On  the  23d  of  the  month  a  flock  of  migrating  snow  buntings  (Plec- 
trophanes  nivalis)  were  observed  near  the  vessel  and  I  succeeded  in 
procuring  a  number  of  them  for  the  collection.  Among  the  birds 
were  several  specimens  of  McKay's  snowflake  (P.  borealis)  which  I 
believe  have  not  been  noted  in  the  interior  of  Alaska  before.  These 
birds  were  the  first  migrants  observed  this  year,  and  they  passed  on 
after  only  a  short  visit.  ♦• 

On  the  29th,  the  mailman  passed  on  his  way  to  Rampart,  and  as  I 
was  desirous  of  getting  some  information  of  winter  travel  under  differ- 


98 

ent  conditions  from  those  which  I  had  obtained  at  the  time  I  was  with 
Lieutenant  Erricksen's  party,  I  joined  him  with  a  toboggan  and  four 
of  our  fastest  dogs  for  the  trip.  Mr.  Oldfield,  the  mailman,  readily 
agreed  to  make  the  run  as  quickly  as  possible  in  order  to  test  the 
endurance  of  the  dogs,  and  after  a  night's  rest  at  Fort  Hamlin  we 
started  out  at  7  a.  m.  over  a  good  trail  and  with  fresh  dogs.  The  run 
to  our  first  stopping  place  was  15  miles,  and  was  accomplished  in  three 
hours  and  ten  minutes.  After  a  rest  of  one  hour  for  lunch  and  to 
give  the  dogs  a  breathing  spell,  we  again  set  out  and  made  the  distance 
to  Tucker's  Cabin,  35  miles,  in  seven  hours  and  thirty  minutes.  The 
dogs  were  comparative^  fresh  at  this  point  and  could  have  gone  on  at 
the  same  rate  of  speed  for  some  time  longer,  but  darkness  made  it 
necessary  for  us  to  camp,  and  we  stopped  at  Tucker's  for  the  night. 
Leaving  this  place  at  7  o'clock  next  morning,  the  run  to  Rampart,  a 
distance  of  30  miles  over  a  heavy  trail,  was  made  in  six  hours  and 
thirty  minutes.  The  actual  time  and  distance  made  during  this  trial 
trip  was  80  miles  in  thirty  and  one-half  hours  of  elapsed  time.  We 
therefore  made  an  average  of  a  little  less  than  5  miles  per  hour  while 
actually  traveling.  I  am  confident  that  the  entire  distance  of  80 
miles  could  have  been  made  in  less  than  twent}T  hours  if  we  had  not 
been  delayed  b}T  darkness. 

The  return  trip  from  Rampart  to  Fort  Shoemaker  was  made  in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  Manchester,  an  attache  of  the  Alaska  Exploration  Com- 
pany, who  was  on  an  inspection  tour  of  the  wood-yards  along  the  river 
belonging  to  his  compan}^.  The  trail  was  found  to  be  in  very  bad 
condition  from  having  been  cut  up  badly  by  a  train  of  pack  horses 
which  had  recently  passed  over  it,  and  we  were  caught  in  a  severe  snow- 
storm, which  entirely  covered  up  the  trail  and  made  traveling  very 
difficult.  In  spite  of  the  difficulties,  however,  we  reached  Fort  Hamlin 
after  being  on  the  road  two  days  and  a  night.  The  next  morning  we 
ran  up  to  Fort  Shoemaker,  and  I  found  everything  going  on  as  usual 
on  board.  During  my  absence  Mr.  Camden  had  completed  the  work 
of  cutting  the  ice  from  around  the  vessel,  and  Mr.  Lewton  had  begun 
to  assemble  the  machinery  in  anticipation  of  approaching  spring. 

While  I  was  absent  from  the  vessel  the  Right  Reverend  Bishop 
Rowe,  of  the  Episcopal  diocese  of  Alaska,  passed  on  his  way  down  the 
river  on  a  visit  through  the  diocese  and  was  entertained  on  board  the 
JVunivak  by  the  officers.  I  met  the  bishop  and  his  party  when  half 
way  to  Rampart  during  the  prevalence  of  a  blinding  snowstorm  and 
stopped  to  shake  hands  with  him  on  the  trail.  A  subsequent  and 
more  extended  acquaintance  with  him  confirmed  the  high  opinion  I 
formed  of  his  character  as  a  hard-working  Christian  gentleman.  The 
good  work  that  Bishop  Rowe  has  done  in  carrying  the  consolation  of 
religion  to  the  people  in  this  country  can  not  be  overestimated.  Every- 
body who  has  ever  had  the  pleasure  of  his  acquaintance  and  has  seen 


94 

him  at  work  in  the  field  is  filled  with  admiration  of  his  frank  and  lov- 
able nature.  There  is  not  a  single  humble  woodcutter's  hut  along  the 
river  that  he  has  not  at  some  time  during  the  dreary  winter  visited 
and  brightened  by  his  presence,  and  the  good  that  he  has  done  in  these 
inhospitable  regions  is  incalculable.  Surely  such  men  as  Bishop  Rowe, 
in  whose  breast  the  true  missionary  zeal  burns  with  such  a  pure  and 
steady  light,  should  never  lack  the  means  of  carrying  on  the  good 
work  which  is  so  urgently  needed  in  this  country. 

The  month  of  April  was  marked  by  an  unusual  number  of  snow- 
storms, and  from  the  Indians  who  came  in  from  time  to  time  to  bring 
fresh  moose  meat  from  their  camps  in  the  mountains  we  learned  that 
the  snow  was  exceptionally  deep,  and  they  prophesied  a  late  opening 
of  navigation  with  very  high  water  in  the  spring. 

On  April  14  the  false  roof  over  the  quarters  was  removed,  and 
preparations  for  painting  the  vessel  were  started.  The  hurricane  deck 
leaked  as  it  did  the  previous  year  after  the  removal  of  the  false  roof, 
and  the  frequent  snowstorms  made  it  necessary  to  abandon  all  other 
work  except  that  of  keeping  the  vessel  clear  of  snow.  In  spite  of 
these  precautions,  however,  our  quarters  were  made  almost  untenable 
by  the  dripping  of  water  from  the  upper  deck.  In  order  to  hasten  the 
return  of  the  deck  planking  into  place,  the  boilers  were  blown  down 
on  the  16th,  so  as  to  decrease  the  temperature  of  the  quarters,  and  by 
so  doing  prevent  the  condensation  of  the  frost  in  the  roof  planking, 
but  until  the  deck  became  tight  again  by  gradual  swelling  of  the 
planks,  all  hands  suffered  a  great  deal  of  discomfort. 

On  April  17  the  owner  of  a  train  of  pack  horses,  which  were  being 
driven  up  the  Yukon  to  Circle  City,  paid  us  a  visit  and  informed  us 
that  the  deep  snow  on  the  river  made  it  impossible  for  the  animals  to 
proceed,  and  he  had  accordingly  gone  into  camp  on  the  banks  of  the 
river  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Dall,  and  would  remain  there  until 
steamboat  navigation  opened  in  the  spring.  His  supply  of  feed  for 
the  animals  had  been  exhausted,  and  the  animals  were  at  present  sub- 
sisting on  beans  and  flour  with  what  grass  that  could  be  obtained  by 
shoveling  off  the  snow  in  places  and  allowing  the  animals  to  graze 
on  last  year's  growth.  From  the  information  I  received  from  Mr. 
Johnson,  the  owner  of  this  train,  I  am  led  to  believe  that  the  use  of 
horses,  except  where  there  are  good  roads  in  this  country,  is  not 
practicable.  He  had  had  two  years'  experience  in  the  matter  and  was 
thoroughly  discouraged.  We  furnished  him  with  all  the  beans  and 
flour  that  we  could  spare,  and  I  afterwards  heard  that  with  the  addi- 
tion of  fresh  young  willow  buds  obtained  later  he  succeeded  in  carry- 
ing his  animals  through  until  a  steamer  arrived  and  transported  the 
outfit  to  its  destination. 

Many  of  the  Indian  hunting  parties  returned  from  the  mountains 
during  the  latter  part  of  April  and  reported  that  they  had  had  a  fairly 


95 

good  season.  Their  appearance  was  much  improved,  and  although  all 
bore  numerous  signs  of  frost-bite  and  were  very  much  tanned  by 
exposure  to  the  glare  of  the  sun  from  the  surface  of  the  snow,  they 
were  in  much  better  health  than  when  they  set  out  on  their  hunt.  The 
use  of  snow  glasses  as  a  protection  from  the  glare  of  the  sun  does  not 
appear  to  be  very  common  among  these  natives,  neither  does  it  appear 
that  they  blacken  their  faces  as  the  Eskimo  do  to  lessen  the  effect  of 
the  sun's  intense  rays  at  this  season  of  the  year.  It  is  probable  that 
the  danger  of  snow  blindness  is  not  so  great,  however,  in  a  forested 
country  as  it  is  on  the  coast  where  there  are  no  trees,  and  this  may 
account  in  a  measure  for  the  fact  that  the  natives  of  the  interior 
neglect  to  take  these  precautions. 

On  April  27  a  sudden  rise  of  the  temperature  to  44 :  above  zero 
caused  the  snow  to  melt  in  an  astonishingly  rapid  manner,  and  during 
the  afternoon  the  water  could  be  heard  running  underneath  the  river 
ice  for  the  first  time  in  months.  On  the  29th  the  sky  was  partially 
covered  with  flying  masses  of  soft  cumulous  clouds  and  at  night  a 
heavy  rain  took  the  place  of  the  usual  fall  of  snow.  As  if  awaiting  a 
signal  to  appear  the  willow  buds  burst  into  bloom,  the  woods  all  at 
once  resounded  with  the  gladsome  sound  of  innumerable  song  birds, 
and  as  conclusive  evidence  that  the  long  winter  was  at  last  over  and 
spring  was  at  hand,  on  the  last  day  of  the  month,  far  over  head,  a  flock 
of  geese  trailed  harrow-like  across  the  sky,  winging  their  way  toward 
the  north. 

The  natives  who  had  returned  from  their  hunting  camps  now  began 
to  dig  their  boats  out  of  the  snow  drifts  in  which  they  had  lain  all  win- 
ter and  to  transport  them  by  sled  farther  up  the  river  to  favorable 
points  among  the  islands  of  the  Yukon  where  the  geese  and  ducks  would 
congregate  as  soon  as  open  water  showed  on  the  river.  No  time  was 
to  be  lost  as  even  now  the  trails  were  impassable  except  during  the 
night  and  early  hours  of  the  morning.  The  rest  of  the  day  the  trails 
were  rushing  rivulets  of  water  which  cut  minature  gorges  in  the  hard, 
thin,  packed  snow  and  formed  little  lakes  on  the  surface  of  the  ice 
where  hollows  were. 

The  mailman  passed  us  during  the  night  and  took  our  letters  for  the 
outside.  He  informed  us,  however,  that  they  would  probably  not  go 
out  until  the  resumption  of  steamboat  travel  on  the  river.  But  what 
did  we  care?  Spring  was  coming,  spring  was  here!  A  sort  of  mad 
joy  seemed  to  possess  us  all.  The  irritation  caused  by  long  waiting 
disappeared,  and  the  men  went  about  their  duties  singing  and  laugh- 
ing. Even  the  dogs  scampered  up  and  down  the  shores  now  bare  of 
snow  and  dug  great  holes  in  the  soft,  warm  earth,  with  no  other  object 
in  view,  apparently,  but  to  show  their  joy.  It  was  amusing  to  note 
with  what  amazement  the  little  puppies,  which  had  been  born  during 
the  winter,  made  their  first  acquaintance  with  running  water.     At  first 


96 

they  were  evidently  very  much  afraid  of  this  new  substance,  but  their 
curiosity  soon  overcame  all  other  feelings  and  they  would  spend  hours 
at  a  time  watching  the  tiny  rivulets  which  coursed  over  the  surface  of 
the  ice. 

As  the  snow  melted  it  was  seen  to  be  literally  alive  with  millions  of 
minute  insects  which  we  identified  as  the  common  snow  flea  (Aehoreutes 
nivicola)  of  the  United  States.  In  some  places  the  surface  of  the  snow 
was  almost  covered  by  the  insects.  The  doctor  secured  a  quantity  of 
them  for  the  collection. 

Although  the  first  week  in  May  was  marked  by  the  recurrence  of 
several  heavy  falls  of  snow  and  for  a  few  hours  at  a  time  the  land- 
scape once  more  was  decidedly  wintry  in  appearance,  the  hot  sun  soon 
melted  it  away  again,  and  spring  fairly  rushed  in  on  us. 

On  the  16th  of  the  month  the  water  in  the  Dall  rose  high  enough  to 
float  the  vessel,  and  four  days  afterwards  the  ice  began  to  break  away 
from  the  bottom  and  melt  rapidly.  The  breakup  in  the  Dall  occurred 
somewhat  later  than  it  did  last  year  and  was  not  accompanied  by  any 
run  of  ice.  It  simply  melted  where  it  lay  or  slowly  drifted  down 
toward  the  mouth  of  the  stream  as  the  water  rose.  On  the  24th  of 
May  the  ice  in  the  Yukon  broke  opposite  the  Dall  and  for  three  days 
ran  past  in  a  mighty  stream  of  broken  fragments,  completely  filling 
the  river  from  bank  to  bank.  The  water  in  the  Dall  rose  15  feet  above 
its  normal  level,  and  I  was  informed  by  the  Indians  that  as  long  as  the 
high-water  stage  prevailed  there  would  be  no  danger  to  us  from  the 
Yukon  ice. 

I  quote  from  my  journal  of  May  27: 

Overcast  cloudy  weather,  with  occasional  snow  flurries.  Temperature  ranging 
from  28°  at  night  to  44°  above  zero  during  the  middle  of  the  day.  Ice  running  very 
strong  in  the  Yukon,  but  as  yet  has  shown  no  signs  of  backing  up  into  the  Dall. 
We  are  lying  with  steam  up,  ready  to  move  at  the  first  appearance  of  danger,  which 
would  be  indicated  by  a  cessation  in  the  movement  of  the  ice  in  the  main  river.  A 
close  watch  was  maintained  at  the  mouth  of  the  Dall  night  and  day  while  the  ice 
was  running,  and  it  was  a  magnificent  sight.  Most  of  the  ice  was  pretty  well  broken 
up,  but  now  and  then  a  huge  cake  an  acre  in  extent  would  come  lumbering  along, 
grinding  and  crushing  everything  in  its  path,  whirling  in  circles,  and  ramming  the 
banks  with  such  tremendous  force  as  to  cause  the  solid  earth  to  tremble  and  the 
trees  to  shiver  from  bottom  to  top.  Quantities  of  driftwood  and  bits  of  wreckage — 
the  flotsam  and  jetsam  of  winter  travel  on  the  river — floated  past.  A  broken  sled 
or  snowshoe,  the  blackened  remains  of  an  old  fire,  showing  where  a  camp  had  been 
made,  a  child's  moccasin,  and  the  crushed  fragments  of  a  birch-bark  canoe  whirled 
past  as  I  watched  the  progress  of  the  ice.  Now  and  then  huge  masses,  carrying  tons 
of  earth,  would  be  pressed  upwards  a  distance  of  10  or  12  feet  and  then  sink  back 
again  with  a  sullen  roar.  And  again  a  clean  green  berg  would  suddenly  shoot  up 
into  the  air,  and  catching  the  rays  of  the  sun  would  send  forth  a  perfect  cascade  of 
many  colored  scintillations.  The  rapid,  irresistible  movement  of  the  ice,  its  great 
volume  and  immense  power,  as  it  swept  past  at  the  rate  of  8  or  9  miles  per  hour,  all 
combined  to  make  a  most  awe-inspiring  spectacle.  Unfortunately  the  day  was  too 
much  overcast  to  enable  us  to  get  good  photographs  of  the  scene. 


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97 

On  May  o<>  the  Yukon  was  almost  clear  of  ice  but  still  running  large 
quantities  of  driftwood.  Captain  Moore  of  the  Alice  was  anxious  to 
get  away  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  and  left  at  noon  of  this  day. 
But  after  getting  as  far  as  Fort  Hamlin  he  was  compelled  to  seek 
shelter  from  the  masses  of  drift  material  coming  down  the  river,  and 
tied  the  Alice  up  at  the  lower  end  of  an  island  near  bv  to  wait  for  a 
better  chance  to  proceed. 

On  May  31,  the  river  being  almost  clear,  we  got  under  way  and 
steamed  out  into  the  Yukon,  with  hearts  full  of  gladness  at  being  once 
more  under  way,  and  with  a  joyf ul  sense  of  freedom  of  movement 
after  our  long  imprisonment  in  winter  quarters. 

The  second  winter  of  the  command  in  the  country  had  passed  with- 
out serious  accident  to  ai\v  member  of  the  party,  and  the  opening  of 
navigation  found  us  all  ready  to  resume  our  duties  on  the  station. 


CHAPTEE  TIL 


The  lateness  of  the  season  and  the  information  I  had  received  in 
regard  to  the  unusually  large  quantity  of  snow  which  still  remained 
on  the  ground  in  the  mountains  caused  me  to  delay  our  departure 
from  the  vicinity  of  Dall  River  for  a  few  days,  as  all  the  conditions 
were  favorable  for  a  period  of  exceptionally  high  water  in  the 
Yukon,  and  in  that  event  the  Indian  villages  would  most  likely  be 
washed  away.  I  caused  it  to  be  generally  known  among  the  Indians 
that,  in  case  of  danger  from  the  threatened  flood,  they  would  be 
received  on  board  the  Nunivak  and  transported  to  a  place  of  safety; 
but  fortunately  the  water  did  not  reach  the  danger  point,  and  after  it 
began  to  subside  we  made  our  final  preparations  for  the  journey  to 
the  coast. 

On  June  3,  having  taken  on  board  everything  belonging  to  the  ves- 
sel, at  Fort  Shoemaker  we  dropped  down  the  Dall  and  swung  out  into 
the  Yukon.  As  we  passed  the  village  all  the  natives  were  gathered 
on  the  bluff  to  witness  our  departure.  A  long  blast  of  the  steam 
whistle  and  the  liring  of  a  blank  cartridge  from  one  of  our  1-pounders 
was  answered  by  a  chorus  of  farewell  yells  b}-  the  Indians,  and  as  a 
further  demonstration  of  their  good  feeling  for  the  Nunivak  they  ran 
along  the  shore  waving  their  hats  and  handkerchiefs  until  a  bend  in 
the  river  hid  us  from  their  sight. 

As  I  looked  back  for  the  last  time  at  the  motley  collection  of  natives 
on  the  shore  and  recalled  many  incidents  of  our  association  during  the 
past  two  years  my  heart  went  out  to  them  in  sympathy.  I  wondered 
what  changes  would  take  place  in  the  little  community  before  I  should 
see  it  again.  In  my  mind's  eye  I  could  almost  foresee  the  ones  who 
would  be  next  to  succumb  in  the  terrible  struggle  for  existence  which 
they  are  compelled  to  maintain,  and  as  we  sped  swiftly  on  our  way 
the  recollection  of  their  faults  faded  away  and  left  only  the  memory 
of  their  childlike  simplicity  in  many  things  and  their  unquestioning 
reliance  in  our  ability  to  help  them  in  time  of  need.  Poor,  weak, 
obstinate,  pleasure-loving  creatures!  Civilization  is  sapping  their 
energies,  and  in  the  rapid  march  of  progress  they  And  it  impossible 
to  keep  in  line.  As  a  distinct  people  their  day  is  done.  The  night  of 
their  complete  obliteration  from  the  scene  is  not  far  off. 


100 

We  stopped  at  Fort  Hamlin  to  finish  the  work  of  painting  the  vessel 
before  proceeding  farther,  and  to  get  rid  of  some  of  our  dogs  which 
were  the  source  of  constant  annoyance  and  discomfort  while  on  the 
vessel.  We  found  the  agent  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  very 
busy  getting  the  affairs  of  the  station  into  shape  for  a  transfer  of  prop- 
erty to  the  new  company,  which  had  been  formed  during  the  winter 
by  the  merging  of  the  several  trading  companies  doing  business  on 
the  river  into  one  corporation,  to  be  known  as  the  Northern  Commer- 
cial Company.  The  news  of  the  change  had  been  brought  down  the 
river  by  the  steamer  Alice,  which  had  passed  a  few  days  previous  to 
our  arrival  at  Fort  Hamlin. 

On  June  5  we  left  Fort  Hamlin  and  ran  to  Rampart  City,  a  distance 
of  81  miles,  in  four  and  a  half  hours.  The  river  was  very  high  and 
the  current  much  stronger  than  in  its  normal  condition. 

Upon  our  arrival  at  Rampart  City,  Lieutenant  Rogers,  IT.  S.  Army, 
in  command  of  the  post  at  this  place,  informed  me  that  a  quantity  of 
stores  were  needed  at  Fort  Gibbon,  which  were  on  hand  here,  and 
requested  our  assistance  in  getting  them  down  the  river.  The  sup- 
plies were  taken  on  board  the  JVunivak,  and  on  June  9  we  left  Ram- 
part and  proceeded  on  our  way.  Five  destitute  persons  were  received 
on  board  for  transportation  to  the  coast  while  we  were  at  Rampart,  it 
being  agreed  that  they  would  work  their  way  down  the  river. 

On  June  10  we  arrived  at  St.  James  mission,  and  stopped  to  call  on 
Bishop  Rowe  and  see  if  we  could  be  of  any  assistance.  A  large  num- 
ber of  Indians  from  the  Tannana  River  were  encamped  near  the  mis- 
sion, and  the  bishop  informed  me  that  he  had  had  some  trouble  in 
preventing  unscrupulous  white  men  from  trading  whisky  to  the  Indians 
for  their  furs,  but  his  firm  attitude  in  the  matter  had  evidently  been 
effectual  in  abating  the  evil,  for  at  the  time  of  our  visit  the  natives 
appeared  to  be  in  a  very  orderly  condition.  After  a  day's  sojourn 
with  the  bishop  we  dropped  down  to  Fort  Gibbon  and  delivered  the 
supplies  we  had  brought  from  Rampart  City  for  the  post. 

All  the  officers  of  the  post  were  in  good  health  and  gave  us  a  hearty 
welcome.  Captain  Wright,  who  was  in  command,  tendered  the  facil- 
ities of  the  post  to  us  in  case  any  repairs  were  necessary  to  the  Nimi- 
vak,  and  the  crew  were  givTen  the  privilege  of  purchasing  any  small 
articles  of  which  they  might  stand  in  need  out  of  the  commissary. 
We  received  on  board  five  more  destitute  persons  at  Fort  Gibbon  for 
transportation  down  the  river,  and  Bishop  Rowe  also  came  on  board 
as  a  guest  of  the  commanding  officer  for  passage  to  Anvik.  After 
spending  two  very  pleasant  days  visiting  our  kind  friends  at  Fort 
Gibbon,  we  left  that  place  on  the  14th  of  June  and  continued^on  our 
way. 

While  at  Fort  Gibbon,  Thomas  McKatchney,  one  of  the  seamen  of 
the  vessel,  showed  signs  of  violent  insanity  and  was  with  difficulty 


101 

controlled.  His  mania  seemed  to  be  a  fear  that  a  conspiracy  had  been 
formed  by  some  of  the  crew  to  murder  him.  His  actions  during  the 
winter  had  been  somewhat  peculiar,  but  until  our  arrival  at  Fort 
Gibbon  his  real  condition  had  not  been  suspected.  After  the  first 
violent  outbreak  he  quieted  down,  and  under  the  doctor's  directions  he 
was  released  from  confinement  and  set  at  work  where  he  could  be 
constantly  watched.  During  the  passage  down  the  river  McKatchney 
showed  no  further  signs  of  becoming  dangerously  insane.  Upon  our 
arrival  at  St.  Michael  he  was  kept  on  board  the  vessel  until  the  surgeon 
pronounced  him  fully  recovered.  McKatchney  was  an  old  deep- 
water  sailor,  and  it  is  more  than  likely  that  the  isolation  of  our  life 
while  in  winter  quarters  was  the  cause  of  his  temporary  mental 
derangement. 

One  of  our  destitute  passengers,  a  man  named  Daniel  O'Connell, 
developed  signs  of  acute  mania  shortly  after  our  departure  from  Fort 
Gibbon,  and  he  attempted  to  kill  himself,  but  was  prevented  by  the 
prompt  action  of  one  of  his  companions.  During  the  balance  of  the 
time  he  was  on  board  it  was  found  to  be  necessary  to  maintain  a  con- 
stant guard  over  him  to  prevent  him  from  injuring  himself  or  others^ 
and  when  we  reached  St.  Michael  he  was  turned  over  to  the  civil 
authorities  for  transportation  to  the  outside. 

Our  journey  down  the  river  to  Kokrines  Station,  where  we  made 
our  next  ,stop,  was  much  delayed  by  large  quantities  of  driftwood 
which  the  prevailing  flood  in  the  river  was  bringing  down.  Fortu- 
nately for  the  purposes  of  navigation  the  largest  amount  of  drift 
material  seemed  to  collect  in  the  sloughs  and  eddies  of  the  stream  and 
out  of  the  main  channels.  Otherwise  it  would  have  been  impossible 
to  proceed.  As  it  was,  we  were  compelled  to  make  frequent  stops  to 
clear  the  wheel  and  rudders  from  debris,  and  at  times  we  were  in 
great  danger  of  being  driven  ashore  by  the  current  while  so  engaged. 
Fortunately,  however,  we  got  through  the  worst  portion  of  the  river 
without  any  serious  mishap,  and  reached  Kokrines  on  June  15,  and 
stopped  to  communicate  with  the  trader,  a  half-breed  Russian,  who 
has  a  store  at  this  place.  A  number  of  Indians  were  gathered  at 
Kokrines  for  the  purpose  of  exchanging  their  furs  for  supplies,  and 
everything  was  in  an  orderly  condition.  During  the  night  Bishop 
Rowe  held  services  on  shore  and  a  large  number  of  the  natives 
attended. 

On  June  15  we  reached  Kaltag  and  stopped  to  communicate  with 
Maj.  Frank  Greene,  U.  S.  Army,  who  was  in  charge  of  the  construc- 
tion of  the  arnw  telegraph  line  along  the  river.  The  line  was  in 
operation  between  this  point  and  St.  Michael,  and  through  the  kind- 
ness of  Major  Greene  I  was  enabled  to  get  news  from  that  place  that 
the  ice  was  still  intact  in  the  harbor  of  St.  Michael,  and  that  it  would 
probably  be  ten  days  before  it  would  break  up. 


102 

While  lying  at  Kaltag  the  steamer  Leon  arrived  from  Dawson  with 
a  large  number  of  passengers  for  St.  Michael.  Upon  boarding  the 
vessel  it  was  found  that  she  was  carrying  more  passengers  than  allowed 
by  law  and  I  reported  the  matter  by  telegraph  to  the  collector  of  cus- 
toms at  St.  Michael. 

The  banks  of  the  river  in  this  locality  showed  the  effects  of  the 
recent  run  of  ice  to  a  remarkable  extent.  For  miles  along  the  shores 
the  trees  had  been  cut  down  by  the  ice,  and  even  at  this  late  date  large 
masses  still  remained  unmelted  where  it  had  been  stranded  by  the 
flood.  At  Nulato  the  village  had  been  nearly  washed  away  and  the 
inhabitants  had  been  compelled  to  seek  safety  b}T  moving  to  a  high 
bluff  near  the  village  until  the  period  of  high  water  had  passed.  The 
houses  were  flooded,  and  at  the  time  of  our  visit  the  main  street  of 
the  village  was  tilled  with  mud  and  melting  masses  of  ice  which  had 
been  deposited  there  when  the  river  broke  up  in  the  spring. 

On  June  17  we  reached  Anvik,  and  Bishop  Rowe  left  the  vessel. 
At  the  request  of  Rev.  Mr.  Chapman,  who  was  in  charge  of  the  Epis- 
copalian mission  at  this  place,  he  was  received  on  board  the  Nunivak 
for  passage  to  St.  Michael.  The  children  attending  the  mission  school 
were  suffering  from  an  epidemic  of  whooping  cough,  and  the  arrival 
of  the  Nunivak  had  been  anxiously  looked  for  by  Miss  Sabine,  the 
superintendent  of  the  school,  who  stated  that  the  supply  of  proper 
medicines  had  become  almost  exhausted.  Surgeon  White  spent  the 
most  of  the  time  we  were  at  Anvik  in  attending  to  the  wants  of  the 
little  community  and  before  leaving,  prepared  a  quantity  of  medicine 
for  the  sick  children  and  left  it  with  Miss  Sabine. 

Proceeding  on  our  way,  we  reached  Holy  Cross  Mission  at  6  p.  m. 
and  tied  up  for  the  night.  A  visit  was  paid  to  the  Catholic  mission, 
where  we  were  received  with  the  customary  welcome  by  the  Rev. 
Father  Crimont  and  the  Sisters  of  Charity  in  charge  of  the  school. 
Everybody  was  well,  and  we  spent  a  pleasant  evening  talking  over 
events  of  interest  which  had  taken  place  during  the  winter.  The 
vegetable  garden  was  very  backward,  owing  to  the  exceptionally  late 
season;  and  I  was  much  interested  in  the  novel  manner  in  which  Sister 
Mary  Winifred  had  attempted  to  protect  the  young  plants  from  the 
frost.  Each  tiny  plant  was  carefully  covered  with  an  empty  tin  can 
every  night,  and  the  garden  looked  as  if  a  crop  of  cans  were  expected 
rather  than  vegetables. 

On  June  18  we  ran  from  Holy  Cross  to  Andreaf ski,  stopping  on  the 
wa}^  at  Russian  Mission  to  make  inquiries.  At  the  latter  place  the 
natives  were  found  to  be  in  good  health,  and  I  was  informed  by  Mr. 
Belkoff,  the  trader  at  this  place,  that  the  suppty  of  provisions  which 
had  been  put  under  his  charge  last  fall  by  Colonel  Evans,  special 
agent  of  the  Treasury,  had  been  distributed  to  the  natives  during  the 
winter,  and  had  been  the  means  of  preventing  much  suffering.     He  did 


cr    *J 


103 

not  think  that  any  further  help  was  needed  at  the  present  time,  but 
recommended  that  a  supply  of  provisions  and  clothing  be  placed  here 
and  elsewhere  on  the  river,  to  be  used  in  case  of  absolute  need  at  any 
future  time.  We  reached  Andreafski  at  11  p.  m.  and  found  Mr. 
Fredericks  and  his  family  well.  The  natives  in  the  vicinity  of  this 
place  had  been  helped  through  the  winter  by  the  distribution  of  sup- 
plies left  with  Mr.  Fredericks,  but  were  now  all  right  again,  and  he 
had  still  a  quantity  of  unexpended  stores  on  hand.  It  occurred  to  me 
that  it  would  be  a  good  plan  to  distribute  some  of  these  stores  to  other 
stations  along  the  river  where  the  stock  had  been  exhausted. 

At  Andreafski  all  signs  of  the  river  Indians  disappear,  and  their 
places  are  taken  by  the  coast  Eskimos.  The  latter  natives  are  not  as 
clean  or  honest  as  the  river  Indians,  and  Mr.  Fredericks  reported 
several  instances  of  petty  thefts  committed  by  them  during  the  winter, 
as  well  as  several  cases  of  inhuman  treatment  of  their  sick  neighbors. 
The  presence  of  free  stores  of  provisions  and  clothing  might  easily 
have  caused  these  natives  to  have  fallen  into  the  condition  of  beggars 
had  the  distribution  of  the  supplies  been  left  in  the  hands  of  a  less 
experienced  man  than  Agent  Fredericks,  but  under  his  able  manage- 
ment a  great  deal  of  suffering  was  prevented,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
natives  were  not  encouraged  in  taking  up  a  life  of  idleness  after  they 
were  able  to  return  to  their  ordinary  pursuits. 

Mr.  Fredericks  also  reported  that  he  had  been  greatly  annoyed  by 
the  acts  of  unscrupulous  white  travelers  along  the  river  during  the 
winter,  who  had  taken  advantage  of  the  prevailing  sickness  among 
the  natives  to  rob  their  caches  and  commit  other  acts  of  malicious 
mischief.  As  an  instance  of  the  unnatural  depravity  of  some  of  the 
white  people  who  are  encountered  in  this  country,  Mr.  Fredericks 
related  the  case  of  a  party  of  three  men  whom  he  had  taken  into  his 
house  and  furnished  with  free  food  and  shelter  for  several  days.  One 
morning  he  awoke  to  find  that  his  guests  had  taken  their  departure 
without  a  word  of  thanks  and  carried  off  with  them  several  of  his  best 
dogs.  Before  leaving  they  had  deliberately  broken  in  the  sides  of  a 
boat  which  was  lying  on  the  beach,  evidently  with  no  other  object  in 
view  than  to  show  their  utter  contempt  for  even  the  ordinary  decencies 
of  life. 

We  remained  at  Andreafski  long  enough  to  give  the  engineer  depart- 
ment a  chance  to  wash  out  the  boilers,  which  were  very  foul  from  using 
the  muddy  water  of  the  Yukon,  and  to  take  on  board  a  full  supply  of 
drinking  water.  Having  completed  this  work,  we  left  on  the  25th  of 
June  and  proceeded  on  our  way  toward  the  coast.  A  da}T's  run 
brought  us  to  Kotlik,  7  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon,  and  here 
we  tied  up  for  the  night,  or  rather  for  that  portion  of  the  day  which 
in  more  southern  latitudes  would  be  night.  In  this  locality  at  this 
season  of  the  }Tear  daylight  is  continuous,  and  in  order  to  obtain  sleep 


104 

it  is  necessary  to  darken  the  quarters  artificially  and  forbid  all  loud 
talking  or  the  making  of  any  unnecessary  noise  during  certain  hours. 
In  spite  of  these  precautions  it  was  not  always  possible  to  obtain  the 
proper  amount  of  rest,  and  the  faces  of  nearly  everyone  showed  the 
lack  of  it. 

A  number  of  vessels  had  already  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  river 
and  were  awaiting  the  opening  of  ocean  navigation.  These  were  all 
boarded  and  examined  in  accordance  with  law.  Several  of  the  vessels 
from  Dawson  were  found  to  be  carrying  an  excess  of  passengers  over 
the  number  allowed  by  law  and  were  duly  reported. 

On  June  22  we  dropped  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  found 
the  ocean  ice  intact  as  far  as  it  could  be  seen  offshore.  From  its 
appearance  I  felt  sure  that  it  would  be  several  days  before  it  would  be 
possible  for  us  to  start  for  St.  Michael.  1  therefore  ordered  the  fires 
to  be  hauled  in  order  to  save  fuel,  and  made  other  preparations  to  lay 
here  until  navigation  should  be  opened. 

Meanwhile  the  number  of  vessels  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  steadily 
increased  with  fresh  arrivals  from  up  the  river,  and  as  all  of  them 
were  more  or  less  short  of  provisions  it  became  evident  that  unless 
relief  was  afforded  in  a  short  time  the  situation  would  become  serious. 
The  steamers  Leon  and  Monarch  were  both  overcrowded  with  passen- 
gers and  were  the  first  to  run  short  of  provisions.  We  furnished  both 
these  vessels  with  what  could  be  spared  from  the  Nunivak  to  help 
them  out,  but  as  we  had  some  15  destitute  persons  on  board,  in  addition 
to  our  own  men,  to  feed  we  could  not  spare  as  much  as  would  have 
been  desirable.  The  passengers  of  the  Leon  were  mostly  of  the  class 
that  had  been  forced  to  leave  Dawson  by  the  authorities  in  the  spring, 
and  under  the  stress  of  their  detention  at  this  place  became  very 
unruly,  and  finally  their  conduct  was  so  objectionable  to  the  respect- 
able portion  of  the  people  on  board  that  a  complaint  was  lodged  with 
me  in  regard  to  their  misconduct.  I  sent  for  the  master  of  the  Leon 
and  told  him  a  complaint  had  been  made  of  the  noisy,  obscene,  and 
generally  disorderly  manner  in  which  the  majority  of  the  passengers 
on  board  his  vessel  were  allowed  to  conduct  themselves,  and  it  must 
be  stopped;  if  he  could  not  control  his  passengers  it  would  be  my  duty 
to  interfere  for  the  protection  of  the  peace,  and  I  should  certainly  do 
so  if  any  further  complaints  were  made  to  me.  During  the  afternoon 
I  caused  the  Nunwak  to  be  hauled  alongside  the  Leon  for  the  purpose 
of  being  at  hand  to  preserve  order  if  our  services  were  required,  but, 
much  to  my  relief  and  that  of  the  respectable  persons  on  board  the 
Leon,  the  rough  element  concluded  they  had  gone  far  enough,  and  no 
necessity  for  us  to  interfere  took  place. 

On  June  24  one  of  the  passengers  on  board  the  Monarch  died  during 
the  night.  He  was  a  soldier  who  had  been  stationed  at  Fort  Gibbon 
and  was  on  his  way  to  St.  Michael  for  medical  treatment  in  the  army 
hospital  at  that  place.     Major  Greene,  of  the  Army,  who  was  a  pas- 


105 

senger  on  one  of  the  other  steamers,  called  on  board  the  JVumvak,  and 
we  had  a  conference  as  to  the  best  disposition  that  could  be  made  of 
the  body.  It  was  decided  to  have  it  carried  to  St.  Michael  if  possible, 
and  with  that  end  in  view  a  coffin  was  made  by  the  carpenter  of  the 
Nunwdk  and  sent  on  board  the  Monarch.  A  quantity  of  ice  was  also 
furnished  to  preserve  the  body  of  the  dead  soldier  until  the  arrival  of 
the  Monarch  at  St.  Michael. 

While  lying  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  we  received  information  of 
the  discovery  of  some  dead  bodies  lying  exposed  on  the  tundra,  and  a 
burial  party  was  sent  out  from  the  JVunivak  in  charge  of  Lieutenant 
Camden  to  give  the  remains  decent  interment.  Mr.  Camden  found 
the  bodies  and  identified  them  as  being  a  family  of  Eskimos  who  had 
evidently  perished  of  starvation  during  the  winter.  A  grave  was 
made  and  the  bodies  buried,  while  Rev.  Mr.  Chapman  read  the  services 
for  the  burial  of  the  dead. 

On  June  26  the  weather  was  overcast  and  squally,  with  a  rapidly 
falling  barometer,  indicative  of  southerly  winds.  During  the  latter 
part  of  the  day  the  wind  increased  in  force,  and  the  ice  offshore  for 
the  first  time  showed  signs  of  weakening.  On  the  27th,  under  the 
influence  of  a  strong  southeast  gale,  the  ice  moved  offshore  during 
the  flow  of  the  ebb  tide,  and  several  of  the  smaller  vessels  ventured 
out,  but  were  forced  to  return  by  the  inflow  of  the  ice  on  the  flood 
tide.  It  was,  however,  pretty  well  broken  up,  and  at  1  a.  m.  of  the 
28th  we  left  the  river  and  stood  along  the  coast  toward  St.  Michael. 
The  departure  of  the  Nunivah  was  the  signal  for  the  whole  fleet  of 
delayed  steamers  to  follow.  When  we  arrived  off  Cape  Romanoff,  a 
quantity  of  drift  ice  was  encountered,  through  which  the  vessel  was 
carefully  worked  until  the  vicinity  of  Stephens  Pass  was  reached,  at  5 
a.  m.  The  pass  was  completely  filled  with  ice,  and,  finding  that  it  was 
impossible  to  get  through,  we  turned  and  ran  for  the  canal,  this  being 
the  nearest  place  where  shelter  could  be  obtained.  Our  change  of 
course  was  noted  bj-  the  rest  of  the  fleet,  which  by  this  time  were 
stretched  out  in  a  long  line  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon.  The  most  of  the  vessels  followed  the 
direction  taken  by  the  Nunivdk,  and  at  8  a.  m.  some  10  or  12  vessels 
reached  the  entrance  to  the  canal.  The  mouth  of  this  estuary  was 
almost  choked  with  ice,  which  the  ebb  tide  was  carrying  out  to  sea, 
but  as  there  was  scarcely  water  enough  over  the  bar  for  the  Nunivah 
to  enter  at  low  tide,  I  decided  to  attempt  to  work  the  vessel  through 
the  drift  ice  rather  than  take  the  chance  of  being  caught  by  the  sea 
ice  should  we  remain  outside  until  the  flood  tide  should  make.  We 
accordingly  entered  the  canal,  and  after  an  hour  of  hard  work  suc- 
ceeded in  working  through  the  drift  ice  and  into  the  clear  water  beyond. 
Several  of  the  fleet  followed  the  Nunivak,  and  we  finally  reached  a 
sheltered  position  near  the  winter  quarters  of  the  steamers  lying  in 
the  canal  and  made  fast  alongside  the  bank. 


106 

At  this  time  there  were  upward  of  20  steamers  lying  in  the  canal, 
some  of  which  were  all  ready  to  leave  for  St.  Michael  as  soon  as  ocean 
navigation  should  be  open,  while  others  had  been  so  badly  injured  by 
the  ice  when  the  canal  broke  up  in  the  spring  as  to  be  practically 
worthless.  I  was  informed  by  persons  who  had  wintered  here  that 
the  place  was  not  fitted  for  winter  quarters  for  a  vessel  on  account  of 
the  violent  movements  of  the  ice  both  at  the  time  when  it  was  forming 
in  the  fall  and  during  the  spring  breakup.  Most  of  the  vessels  had 
suffered  considerable  damage  by  having  the  oakum  pulled  out  of  the 
side  seams  by  the  action  of  the  ice,  and  in  some  cases  whole  planks  had 
been  torn  off  by  this  means.  All  of  the  vessels  which  had  been  left 
without  full  crews  to  care  for  them  were  either  sunk  or  forced  far  out 
on  the  flat  marsh  land  bordering  the  canal.  The  place  was  otherwise 
objectionable  on  account  of  its  unsheltered  situation.  Constant  gales 
during  the  winter  swept  in  from  the  sea,  and  for  days  at  a  time  it  was 
impossible  to  stir  out  of  doors  on  account  of  the  inclement  weather. 

On  June  29,  on  complaint  of  Capt.  P.  C.  Rickmers,  in  charge  of  the 
steamers  belonging  to  the  Empire  Transportation  Company  which  had 
wintered  in  the  canal,  I  caused  the  arrest  of  two  men  for  selling  liquor 
to  the  crews  on  the  vessels  in  port  without  a  license.  After  a  pre- 
liminary examination  of  the  accused  parties  on  board  the  Nunivak,  at 
which  conclusive  evidence  of  their  guilt  was  adduced,  I  decided  to 
send  them  to  St.  Michael  by  small  boat,  under  guard,  to  be  turned 
over  to  the  United  States  commissioner  at  that  place  for  trial.  Lieu- 
tenant Wheeler  and  Seaman  McGrath,  of  the  Nunivak,  were  detailed 
to  perform  this  duty,  and  left  the  ship  on  June  30  with  the  prisoners. 
They  returned  from  St.  Michael  on  July  2,  Lieutenant  Wheeler 
reporting  that  he  had  delivered  the  two  men  into  the  custody  of  the 
United  States  commissioner,  as  ordered.  Mr.  Wheeler  reported  that 
the  harbor  of  St.  Michael  was  still  closed  by  ice,  but  that  it  was  open 
alongshore,  and  all  that  was  needed  was  a  strong  southerly  wind  to 
drive  it  out  to  sea.  It  was  possible  for  small  steamers  to  reach  St. 
Michael  by  way  of  the  canal,  and  at  the  request  of  Capt.  J.  E.  Han- 
sen, superintendent  of  transportation  for  the  Northern  Commercial 
Company,  permission  was  granted  him  to  transfer  a  number  of  the 
passengers  on  the  large  steamers  to  smaller  craft  for  transportation 
to  their  destination.  This  measure  was  necessary  on  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  provisions  and  the  impossibility  of  getting  a  fresh  supply 
at  this  point  until  the  opening  of  navigation.  The  steamers  City  of 
Paris  and  Rock  Island,  both  light-draft  vessels,  were  accordingly  dis- 
patched through  the  canal  with  passengers  from  the  other  vessels. 
Lists  of  passengers  so  transferred  were  furnished  by  Captain  Hansen 
for  the  information  of  the  collector  of  customs  at  St.  Michael?  so  as 
to  enable  that  official  to  keep  an  accurate  record  of  the  number  of 
passengers  which  each  vessel  had  brought  down  the  river. 


107 

A  strong  southwest  gale  sprang  up  during  the  night  of  July  3,  and 
by  noon  the  ice,  which  had  clung  persistently  to  the  shore  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  entrance  to  the  canal  since  our  arrival,  suddenly  broke 
away  and  drifted  off  to  sea.  At  2  p.  in.  a  steam  launch  arrived  from 
St.  Michael  with  the  welcome  news  that  the  harbor  was  at  last  open. 
We  immediately  got  under  way  and  dropped  down  the  canal  to  its 
mouth,  with  the  intention  of  starting  for  St.  Michael,  but  a  dense  fog 
shut  in  and  we  did  not  get  away  until  9  p.  m.  By  this  time  nearly 
all  the  detained  vessels  were  under  way,  and  with  the  Nunivak  in  the 
lead  the  fleet  started  across  the  open  stretch  of  ocean  which  lay 
between  us  and  our  destined  port.  Stephens  Pass  was  found  to  be 
clear  of  ice,  and  although  there  was  still  a  large  number  of  detached 
bergs  in  the  sea  beyond  we  made  our  way  safely  through  the  open 
leads,  and  at  2  a.  m.  of  July  4  the  Nunivak  dropped  anchor  in  the 
inner  harbor,  with  the  honor  of  being  the  first  of  the  river  fleet  to 
reach  its  destination  this  }Tear.  The  harbor  was  crowded  with  ships 
of  all  descriptions,  which  had  arrived  from  the  outside,  and  the  town, 
with  its  many  new  buildings  which  had  been  built  during  the  winter, 
seemed  to  our  eyes  a  veritable  metropolis. 

A  large  quantity  of  mail  matter,  some  of  it  nearly  a  year  old,  was 
received  shortly  after  our  arrival,  and  for  several  days  we  were  kept 
busy  reading  letters  and  catching  up  with  the  news  from  the  outside. 

Among  other  letters  received  from  the  Department  at  this  time 
was  one  in  which  I  was  informed  that  it  was  not  the  intention  of 
Department  to  keep  the  Nunivak  in  commission  during  the  ensuing 
winter,  but  that  after  the  summer's  work  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Michael 
had  been  finished  the  vessel  was  to  be  laid  up  at  that  place,  and  the 
crew,  with  the  exception  of  enough  men  to  look  out  for  her  while  in 
winter  quarters,  discharged. 

In  pursuance  with  instructions  contained  in  Department  letter  of 
the  3d  of  May,  1901, 1  informed  the  collector  of  customs  at  St.  Michael 
that  the  Nunivak  would  remain  in  the  harbor  during  the  summer  and 
I  should  be  glad  to  render  him  any  assistance  possible  in  the  execu- 
tion of  the  laws  for  the  protection  of  the  customs  revenue  and  in  the 
enforcement  of  the  navigation  laws. 

1  am  glad  to  state  that  the  official  relations  between  the  officers  of 
the  customs  service  and  this  command  were  at  all  times  cordial  and 
pleasant. 

On  July  13  I  left  St.  Michael  on  the  steamer  Dora  and  visited  Nome 
for  the  purpose  of  conferring  with  Lieut.  D.  H.  Jarvis,  R.  C.  S.,  in 
regard  to  matters  of  official  business,  and  returned  to  St.  Michael  on 
the  17th  instant. 

On  August  5  the  U.  S.  S.  Thetis  arrived  in  port  with  a  supply  of 
coal  and  stores  for  the  Nunivak,  and  also  brought  me  further  instruc- 
tions from  the  Department  in  regard  to  the  disposition  of  the  vessel 
and  command.  The  U.  S.  S.  Manning  arrived  several  days  later, 
bringing  us  an  additional  quantity-  of  coal,  all  of  which  was  in  due 
course  taken  on  board  the  Nunivak. 


108 

The  Department  has  already  been  fully  informed  of  the  failure  on 
the  part  of  Lieutenant  Jarvis  to  dispose  of  the  Nunivak  by  sale  and 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  vessel  was  subsequently  hauled  out  on  the 
beach  under  my  directions  and  placed  in  winter  quarters.  It  only 
remains  for  me  to  tender  my  sincere  thanks  to  the  commanding  officer 
of  the  U.  S.  S.  Bear,  Capt.  Francis  Tuttle,  R.  C.  S. ,  for  valuable  assist- 
ance given  this  command  in  the  work  of  getting  the  vessel  safely  into 
winter  quarters,  to  Lieut.  D.  H.  Jarvis,  R.  C.  S.,  who  as  special  dis- 
bursing officer,  settled  the  accounts  of  the  command  at  various  times 
during  our  stay  in  the  North,  in  many  cases  at  great  personal  incon- 
venience, and  to  Lieut.  D.  P.  Foley,  R.  C.  S.,  purchasing  officer  of  the 
Service  at  San  Francisco,  to  whom  fell  the  onerous  and  most  impor- 
tant duty  of  selecting  and  purchasing  supplies  for  the  vessel  as  needed 
from  time  to  time.  The  work  done  by  all  these  officers  contributed  in 
a  great  measure  to  our  comfort,  and,  what  is  of  more  importance  to 
the  economical  and  successful  management  of  the  command  in  its 
isolated  situation. 

To  other  officers  of  the  Service  to  whom  we  were  indebted  for  many 
acts  of  thoughtful  consideration,  I  desire  to  extend  my  thanks  and 
assurances  of  my  sincere  appreciation.  The  mere  enumeration  of 
their  names  would  comprise  almost  the  entire  list  of  officers  who  dur- 
ing this  period  were  attached  to  the  several  vessels  of  the  Service  in 
Bering  Sea,  and,  under  the  circumstances,  m}r  failure  to  give  personal 
credit  for  every  act  of  kindness  done  for  us  will  I  feel  sure  be  under- 
stood and  pardoned. 

On  the  15th  of  September  the  work  of  hauling  the  Nunivak  out  on 
the  beach  at  St.  Michael  was  completed,  the  members  of  the  crew  who 
were  to  remain  by  the  vessel  selected,  and  the  remaining  members  of 
the  crew  transferred  to  the  U.  S.  S.  Bear  for  transportation  to  the 
States. 

Lieutenants  Camden  and  Blake  were  detached  and  ordered  to  pro- 
ceed to  their  homes  via  the  Yukon  River  route,  and  directed  to  obtain 
the  necessary  data  for  the  construction  of  a  chart  of  the  upper  por- 
tion of  the  river  while  en  route. 

Lieutenant  Wheeler  and  Assistant  Engineer  Lewton  were  transferred 
to  the  U.  S.  S.  Bear  for  duty  on  that  vessel,  and  Surgeon  White,  who 
had  volunteered  for  the  duty,  was  left  in  charge  of  the  Nunivak  for 
the  winter. 

On  September  16  I  bade  good-bye  to  Dr.  White  and  the  little  band  of 
men  left  with  him  to  take  care  of  the  vessel,  and  with  a  sincere  feeling 
Of  regret  at  parting  with  my  first  command  I  took  passage  for  the 
States  in  the  steamer  Roanoke  and  arrived  at  my  home  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, Cal.,  on  the  2d  of  October,  and  reported  my  arrival  to  the 
honorable  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  as  directed  in  my  orders  of 
detachment  dated  May  3,  1901. 


PAET     II. 

Chapter      I.  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  STATION. 
Chapter    II.  TRAFFIC  AND  TRANSPORTATION. 
Chapter  III.   WINTER  TRAVEL. 
Chapter  IV.  ECONOMIC  CONDITIONS. 
Chapter    V.  SOCIAL  CONDITIONS. 
Chapter  VI.  LAW  AND  ORDER. 


109 


I-    0. 


CHAPTER  1. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  STATION. 


THE    CRUISING    GROUND. 

The  cruising  ground  of  the  Nun  <r<ik.  as  denned  by  Department  orders 
of  April  21,  1899,  embraced  all  that  portion  of  the  Yukon  River  from 
its  mouth  to  a  distance  up  the  stream  not  to  exceed  1,000  miles.  Owing 
to  the  necessity  for  us  to  return  each  year  to  St.  Michael  to  receive  our 
annual  supplies,  this  port  and  the  stretch  of  coast  between  it  and  the 
mouth  of  the  Yukon  also  came  within  the  scope  of  our  operations. 

The  town  of  St.  Michael  is  the  most  important  settlement  in  Alaska, 
as  it  is  the  port  of  entry  for  all  vessels  bound  from  the  States  with 
passengers  and  freight  for  the  interior.  Here  are  situated  the  exten- 
sive warehouses,  stores,  hotels,  and  offices  of  all  the  trading  companies 
engaged  in  business  on  the  Y'ukon,  besides  being  the  site  of  the  largest 
military  post  in  the  Territory.  During  the  years  1900  and  1901  the  mil- 
itary authorities  built  a  number  of  large  and  comfortable  dwellings, 
offices,  storehouses,  wharves,  etc.,  for  the  accommodation  of  some  300 
men  forming  the  post,  and  this  was  designed  to  be  the  headquarters  of 
the  military  division  of  Alaska,  until  it  was  transferred  in  the  summer 
of  1901  to  Vancouver  Barracks,  Oreg.  The  post  is  now  occupied  by 
two  companies  of  infantry,  and  is  known  as  Fort  St.  Michael. 

The  site  of  the  town  is  on  the  irregular,  curving  shores  of  the  extreme 
western  portion  of  the  island,  and  is  about  35  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea.  The  soil  is  composed  of  volcanic  debris,  covered  to  a  depth  of 
1  or  5  feet  with  muck  and  disintegrated  volcanic  matter,  over  which  a 
luxuriant  growth  of  arctic  moss  and  scattered  dwarf  willow  shrubbery 
forms  an  almost  impervious  mantle.  During  the  short  summer  months 
the  landscape  is  beautified  by  the  presence  of  a  great  number  of  flow- 
ers, but  in  the  winter  season  the  level  tundra  plains  are  swept  by 
howling  gales,  and  the  scene  is  one  of  utter  desolation. 

The  shores  of  the  bay  are  fringed  by  bowlders  of  volcanic  rock 
which  have  fallen  from  the  abrupt  cliffs,  and  the  bottom  of  the  bay 
near  to  the  shore  is  in  places  made  difficult  and  dangerous  of  naviga- 
tion by  the  presence  of  rocks  and  reefs  which  have  been  formed  hy  the 

ill 


112 

action  of  the  ice.  There  are  two  small  coves  in  which  small  steamers 
can  find  shelter  from  the  wind  and  sea,  and  where  they  can  be  hauled 
out  for  repairs. 

The  harbor  carries  a  depth  of  2i  fathoms  of  water  from  the  sea  to  a 
point  about  a  mile  from  the  wharves  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany, with  soft  muddy  bottom  and  moderately  good  holding  ground. 
Vessels  drawing  more  than  12  feet  should  not  venture  into  the  harbor 
farther  than  a  point  bearing  east-southeast  (true)  from  the  north  bluff 
of  the  town. 

The  tides  are  variable  in  height,  depending  in  a  great  measure  on 
the  direction  and  force  of  the  wind.  Strong  northerly  winds  cause  a 
low  stage  of  water  and  a  high  sea  in  the  harbor,  and  render  it  an 
unsafe  anchorage  for  the  larger  class  of  vessels  and  very  disagreeable 
for  the  shallow-draft  river  steamers.  Southerly  winds,  on  the  other 
hand,  cause  the  tides  to  run  higher,  and  as  the  harbor  is  sheltered  from 
winds  from  this  direction  it  is  usually  safe  to  remain  at  anchor  until 
the  wind  has  subsided.  During  the  prevalence  of  northerly  gales 
ocean-going  vessels  of  deep  draft  usually  leave  St.  Michael  harbor  and 
seek  shelter  under  the  lee  of  Egg  Island,  which  lies  north  of  St. 
Michael,  about  10  miles  distant.  Good  anchorage  can  be  obtained  in 
from  5  to  6  fathoms  of  water  close  to  shore  on  all  sides  of  this  island, 
with  mud  and  shell  bottom  and  excellent  holding  ground. 

The  river  boats  haul  out  to  heav\T  moorings  in  the  harbor  when  it 
gets  too  rough  for  them  to  lie  at  the  wharves,  or  else  boldly  push  in 
as  near  the  beach  as  possible  and  so  lie  out  the  gale.  But,  as  I  have 
before  stated,  the  shores  of  the  harbor  are  fringed  with  dangerous 
rocks  and  reefs,  and  no  one  should  venture  to  approach  very  close  to 
land  unless  he  has  a  perfect  acquaintance  with  the  character  of  the 
bottom. 

The  astronomical  position  of  St.  Michael  from  the  latest  determi- 
nation made  by  the  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  is  63°  28' 
41.5"  north  latitude  and  162°  01'  06"  west  longitude.  There  are  gener- 
ally two  tides  each  day,  but  the  second  tide  is  so  inconsiderable  as  to 
be  a  neglible  quantity  for  the  purposes  of  navigation.  The  mean  height 
of  high  water  is  3£  feet.  Spring  tides  may  be  as  high  as  5  feet,  and 
storms  sometimes  cause  the  water  in  the  bay  to  rise  high  .enough  to 
cover  the  wharves. 

Steamers  leaving  St.  Michael  bound  for  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon 
usually  time  their  departure  so  as  to  reach  the  bar  at  the  entrance  to 
the  Aphoon  mouth  of  the  river  at  or  near  the  time  of  high  water. 
The  course  taken  is  by  sea  along  the  north  shore  of  St.  Michael  Island 
to  Stephens  Pass,  which  is  a  narrow  strait  separating  St.  Michael  from 
Stuart  Island,  and  thence  in  a  direct  course  over  the  Yukon%  Flats  to 
the  mouth  of  the  river.  In  the  north  entrance  to  Stephens  Pass  there 
are  ?>\  fathoms  of  water  and  in  case  of  sudden  gales  shelter  may  be 


UNIVERSITY 

OF 


113 

obtained  in  several  coves  on  Stuart  Island.  The  shores  of  this  island 
are  usually  covered  with  quantities  of  driftwood  from  the  Yukon,  but 
landing  is  difficult  except  when  the  sea  is  smooth. 

Once  through  Stephens  Pass  the  water  rapidly  shoals  to  8  feet, 
and  when  off  Cape  Romanoff,  a  solitary  rounded  headland  of  crystal- 
lized schistose  rock  about  halfway  from  the  pass  to  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  the  water  decreases  in  depth  to  6  feet.  This  depth  is  maintained 
with  great  regularity  until  the  mouth  of  the  Pastoliak  River  is  reached. 

Here  close  inshore  is  found  a  narrow  and  somewhat  winding  chan- 
nel with  from  8  to  10  feet  leading  across  Pastol  Bay  and  into  the 
Aphoon.  The  distance  from  St.  Michael  to  the  Aphoon  entrance  to 
the  river  by  the  sea  route  is  60  miles.  Small  steamers  and  boats  some- 
times make  this  journey  by  way  of  the  Canal,  a  narrow  and  tortuous 
channel  which  separates  St.  Michael  Island  from  the  mainland,  in 
order  to  avoid  the  rough  water  encountered  on  the  way  through 
Stephens  Pass.  Both  entrances  to  the  Canal  are  obstructed  b}T  bars, 
over  which  5  feet  is  the  most  that  can  be  carried  at  high  tide. 
Once  over  the  bars,  there  is  plenty  of  water  through  the  Canal,  but 
the  channel  is  strewn  with  rocks  and  in  many  places  difficult  of  navi- 
gation. 

Passing  up  the  Aphoon  mouth  the  country  on  each  side  of  the  river 
is  low  and  uninteresting.  The  immediate  banks  of  the  stream  are 
clothed  with  a  dense  growth  of  willow  and  alder  bushes,  and  back  of 
this  the  country  stretches  away  for  mile  on  mile  in  dreary  expanses  of 
level  tundra  plains.  To  the  southward  these  plains  join  the  sky  in  an 
unbroken  line,  but  toward  the  north  a  low  range  of  mountains  having 
a  general  northwest-southeast  trend  marks  the  northern  limit  of 
the  flood  plain  of  the  Yukon  Delta,  and  serves  to  relieve  the  monoto- 
nous character  of  the  landscape. 

Generally  speaking,  there  is  plenty  of  water  through  the  Aphoon, 
but  at  several  places  the  channel  is  obstructed  by  sand  and  silt  flats. 
About  33  miles  above  its  mouth  we  pass  out  of  the  Aphoon  into  what 
may  be  called  the  main  part  of  the  Yukon.  This  is  called  the  Kwik- 
pak  Mouth,  and  is  almost  a  mile  wide.  The  channel  winds  in  and  out 
amidst  a  labyrinth  of  low  sand  islands,  some  of  which  are  completely 
covered  at  high  tide,  and  navigation  through  this  portion  of  the  river 
is  tedious  and  perplexing  until  the  head  of  the  delta  is  reached.  The 
course  upstream  to  this  point  has  been  in  a  general  southeast  direction, 
but  now  the  river  sweeps  around  the  base  of  a  mountainous  headland 
in  a  great  curve  to  the  northward,  and  for  the  first  time  a  view  of  the 
noble  river  in  all  its  beauty,  confined  on  both  hands  by  high  com- 
manding banks,  is  obtained. 

Andreafski,  the  first  white  settlement  of  any  importance  to  be  seen 
on  ascending  the  river,  is  situated  on  the  Andreafski  River  near  its 
junction  with  the  Yukon  at  a  distance  of  120  miles  from  the  mouth  of 


114 

the  latter  stream.  Here  are  located  the  regular  winter  quarters  of  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Compaq  and  its  trading  post.  The  company  has 
erected  a  commodious  two-story  building  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
crews  of  its  vessels  while  in  winter  quarters,  and  has  installed  a  fine 
machine  shop,  electric  plant,  etc. ,  for  the  use  of  the  station.  A  marine 
railway  is  at  the  present  time  in  process  of  construction,  which  is 
designed  to  haul  out  the  largest  vessels  owned  by  the  compan}T,  thereby 
doing  away  with  an  immense  amount  of  expense  and  trouble  incurred 
while  looking  out  for  them  if  left  in  the  water  and  allowed  to  freeze 
in.  The  water  in  the  Andreafski  River  is  beautifully  clear  and  this  is 
a  favorite  place  for  vessels  to  call  in  and  fill  up  their  tanks  before 
proceeding  further  up  the  Yukon. 

From  Andreafski  the  Yukon  carries  from  5  to  10  fathoms  of  water 
in  the  channel,  and  this  depth  of  water  may  be  said  to  continue  for 
1,000  miles  upstream,  or  until  the  island  system  of  the  river  is  reached, 
just  above  Dall  River.  So  far  as  known  there  is  not  in  all  this  dis- 
tance a  single  hidden  rock  or  snag  to  menace  navigation.  The  channel 
is  in  many  places  somewhat  intricate,  but  our  experience  leads  me  to 
believe  that  it  is  subject  to  very  few  changes  in  the  main  portion  of 
the  river.  A  deep  channel  through  the  lower  portion  of  the  Yukon 
and  across  the  bar  which  obstructs  the  Aphoon  entrance  could  be 
easily  made  by  systematic  dredging  at  comparatively  little  cost.  The 
wooden  ranges  at  present  in  place  on  the  tundra  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river  could  be  replaced  by  lighted  range  beacons  to  great  advantage 
for  the  use  of  vessels  entering  the  river,  especially  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  season  of  open  navigation,  when  darkness  makes  it  impos- 
sible to  see  the  wooden  marks.  It  is  impracticable  to  maintain  buoj^s 
in  position  except  during  a  portion  of  the  open  season  on  account  of 
the  action  of  the  ice,  but  it  is  perfectly  feasible  to  maintain  lighted 
beacons  on  shore,  which  would  answer  the.  same  purpose.  With  these 
aids  to  navigation  the  Yukon  for  at  least  1,000  miles  of  its  length 
would  be  one  of  the  easiest  and  safest  rivers  in  the  world  to  navigate. 

THE   CURRENT. 

The  strength  of  the  current  in  the  Yukon  is  very  variable.  During 
high-water  or  flood  periods  it  attains  its  greatest  force,  and  at  such 
times  and  in  certain  localities — as,  for  example,  at  the  lower  entrance 
to  the  Ramparts — it  has  a  velocity  of  from  8  to  9  miles  per  hour.  In 
general,  however,  the  force  of  the  current  from  the  Aphoon  mouth  to 
the  Andreafski  River  averages  2£  miles  per  hour,  from  Andreafski 
River  to  Anvik  3£  miles  per  hour,  from  Anvik  to  the  Ramparts  5£ 
miles  per  hour,  and  through  the  Ramparts  to  Dall  River  6£  miles  per 
hour.  From  a  reconnoissance  made  of  the  Yukon  between  DaW  River 
and  Circle  City  by  Lieutenant  Camden,  in  the  spring  of  1900,  it  was 
ascertained  that  the  strength  of  the  current  in  this  part  of  the  river 


SHORE  LINE  OF  YUKON   RIVER,  SHOWING  TO  SOME  EXTENT  THE  FLUCTUATIONS  IN  THE 

RIVER  LEVEL. 

The  photograph  was  taken  at  a  medium  low-water  stage  of  the  s'tream. 


115 

attains  a  velocity  of  7  miles  per  hour,  and  I  am  informed  by  local 
steamboat  men  that  this  force  is  maintained  all  the  way  to  Dawson. 
There  are  many  places  in  the  Yukon,  locally  known  as  "  rapids,"  where 
for  a  short  distance  very  swift  water  is  encountered,  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  there  are  long  stretches  of  the  river,  especially  in  its  middle  sec- 
tion, where  the  current  does  not  exceed  3  miles  per  hour. 

HIGH    AXD   LOW   WATER   STAGES. 

The  mean  annual  succession  of  high  and  low  water  stages  in  the 
Yukon  is  quite  uniform,  but  so  man}'  exceptions  are  noted  that  it  is 
not  safe  to  make  any  definite  predictions  in  regard  to  the  height  of 
water  for  any  short  period.  In  general  it  may  be  stated  that  the  river 
is  at  its  highest  stage  at  the  time  of  opening  of  navigation  and  lowest 
just  before  the  river  closes  in  the  fall.  After  the  subsidence  of  the 
spring  Hood,  which  usually  occurs  in  a  week  or  ten  days  after  the 
breaking  up  of  the  ice,  the  river  maintains  its  normal  height  until 
the  summer  rains  begin,  in  the  middle  of  July,  when  it  oscillates  with 
the  amount  of  rainfall,  which  is  a  very  variable  quantity.  A  long-con- 
tinued period  of  dry  weather  will  cause  the  water  in  the  river  to  fall 
rapidly,  and  it  is  doubtless  true  that  during  such  periods  the  volume 
of  the  river  is  much  decreased  by  rapid  evaporation. 

Steamboat  men  and  others  whose  observation  of  the  river  has 
extended  over  a  period  of  several  years  state  that  there  is  always  an 
increase  in  the  height  of  water  during  the  month  of  September,  locall}T 
designated  "the  September  rise."  This  may  easily  be  attributed  to 
the  melting  of  the  first  fall  of  snow  in  the  latter  part  of  September. 
But  this  rise  is  of  short  duration,  and  is  soon  checked  by  the  freezing 
of  the  small  tributary  mountain  streams,  which  takes  place  usually  by 
the  first  week  in  October.  After  this  the  river  falls  rapidly  until  the 
ice  begins  to  form  and  navigation  closes. 

SEDIMENTARY   MATTER. 

The  percentage  of  sedimentary  matter  carried  in  suspension  varies 
greatly  at  different  seasons,  but  apparently  does  not  depend  so  much 
on  the  stage  of  water  as  it  does  on  the  character  of  the  tributary  from 
which  it  flows.  It  is  also  largely  influenced  by  the  caving  of  the  river 
banks,  which  is  always  greatest  while  the  river  is  falling  after  the 
spring  freshets.  During  the  first  part  of  summer  the  sedimentary 
matter  is  to  the  water  by  weight  as  1  to  1,600,  and  when  in  this  con- 
dition is  unfit  for  domestic  use  except  after  it  has  been  boiled  and 
filtered.  Drinking  water  in  large  quantities  is  rather  difficult  to 
obtain  except  at  two  or  three  places  on  the  station.  Vessels  engaged  in 
traffic  on  the  river  find  it  necessary  to  carry  fresh-water  tanks,  which 
are  filled  from  the  Andreafski,  Anvik,  or  Kaltag  rivers,  all  of  which 


116 

are  easily  accessible  and  furnish  an  abundance  of  clear,  pure  water, 
free  from  all  impurities.  Immediately  after  the  first  ice  forms  in  the 
Yukon  the  water  in  the  river  becomes  perfectly  clear  and  so  remains 
until  spring. 

VEGETATION. 

Under  the  influence  of  the  long,  sunny  days  of  April  and  May,  while 
snow  is  yet  on  the  ground  and  the  rivers  are  still  icebound,  vegetation 
of  all  kinds  bounds  into  life  with  a  rapidity  which  is  astonishing,  and 
by  the  middle  of  June  the  whole  face  of  the  country  is  abloom  with 
the  fervid  life  of  innumerable  plants  and  flowers.  In  July  the  grasses 
are  waist  high  and  the  foliage  of  deciduous  trees  so  dense  as  to  be 
almost  impenetrable  to  the  eye.  In  August  the  berries  ripen,  and  by 
the  20th  of  the  month  the  leaves  of  the  birches  and  poplars  begin  to 
take  on  the  gaudy  coloring  of  autumnal  decay. 

Gardens  are  planted  out  of  doors  in  May,  and  by  the  end  of  June 
some  of  the  more  rapidly  growing  vegetables  are  ready  for  the  table. 
Radishes,  spinach,  parsley,  and  lettuce  are  first  to  mature.  After 
these,  in  rapid  succession,  come  green  peas,  kale,  turnips,  and  cabbage. 
With  proper  attention  to  location  and  drainage  excellent  potatoes  can 
be  raised,  and  in  addition  to  all  these  vegetables  I  have  seen  a  very 
good  quality  of  celery  which  was  grown  at  Holy  Cross  Mission. 

Several  varieties  of  vegetables  were  planted  in  boxes  on  board  the 
Nunivak  for  experimental  purposes,  and  it  was  found  that  lettuce, 
radishes,  parsley,  and  kale  could  be  raised  in  this  way  in  from  six  to 
eight  weeks.  The  soil  used  in  conducting  these  experiments  was  taken 
from  the  top  of  one  of  our  log  houses  on  shore,  where  it  had  been  lying 
since  the  preceding  fall,  and  to  a  certain  extent  it  had  been  dried  out 
by  exposure  to  the  sun  and  air.  A  small  amount  of  lime  was  used  to 
counteract  the  natural  acidity  of  the  soil,  but  with  this  exception  no 
fertilizing  material  of  any  kind  was  added. 

Several  species  of  indigenous  wild  plants  which  can  be  used  as  vege- 
table food  grow  abundantly  along  the  banks  of  the  Yukon  and  its 
tributary  streams.  Among  them  we  noted  the  parsnip,  onion,  a  spe- 
cies of  rhubarb,  and  a  kind  of  spinach  which  when  properly  prepared 
was  fully  as  palatable  as  the  cultivated  plant. 

At  numerous  places  along  the  river  I  noted  the  presence  of  natural 
meadows  of  various  kind  of  grasses,  which  no  doubt  would  furnish 
excellent  hay;  but  the  local  demand  for  this  article  has  not  as  yet 
become  great  enough  to  encourage  its  cultivation  as  a  marketable 
product. 

THE    SOIL. 

The  soil  of  the  Yukon  Valley  is  a  rich  alluvial,  composed  of  fine 
sand,  mud,  and  vegetable  matter.  In  many  localities,  where  erosion 
had  exposed  a  section  of  the  river  bank,  large  deposits  of  marl  were 


117 

observed,  and  the  soil  appeared  to  be  free  from  frost.  This  was  not 
found  to  be  the  case  in  the  treeless,  moss-covered  country  near  the 
coast.  Here  the  cut  banks  showed  large  quantities  of  ice,  and  it  is 
doubtless  true  that  it  never  thaws  out  to  a  greater  depth  than  a  few 
inches  from  the  surface.  In  the  interior  an  entirely  different  condi- 
tion exists.  Early  in  the  spring,  in  digging  a  hole  in  the  ground  at 
Fort  Shoemaker,  much  to  our  surprise  the  earth  at  a  short  distance 
beneath  the  frozen  surface  was  found  to  be  comparatively  dry  and 
free  from  frost.  This  condition  of  the  soil  doubtless  obtains  in  all 
localities  where  land  has  been  formed  by  alluvial  deposition,  and 
where  it  is  not  covered  by  the  moisture-absorbing,  nonconductive 
mantle  of  moss.  The  agricultural  possibilities  of  the  Yukon  Valley 
are  yet  to  be  determined  by  systematic  and  intelligently  conducted 
experiments.  Efforts  have  been  made  in  the  past  to  grow  some  of  the 
cereals  at  different  places  along  the  river,  and  it  is  true  that  the  results 
were  not  very  encouraging.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  these 
experiments  were  made  by  traders  in  a  more  or  less  perfunctory  man- 
ner, and  should  not  be  accepted  as  final  proof  that  the  country  is  not 
suited  to  agriculture.  During  the  last  decade  many  vegetables  have 
been  added  to  the  list  of  those  which  were  known  to  be  possible  of 
cultivation  in  this  region,  with  the  result  that  the  meager  fare  of  fish, 
wild  fowl,  and  venison,  which  formed  almost  the  only  source  of  food 
supply  for  the  early  settlers,  has  been  greatly  diversified  and  improved. 
There  seems  no  good  reason  to  doubt  that  in  many  parts  of  the  inte- 
rior, especially  in  sunny,  well-drained  alluvial  valleys,  with  deep  plow- 
ing and  proper  preparation  of  the  soil,  barley,  oats,  and  wheat  of  the 
hardier  variety  would  reach  maturity.  It  is  to  be  earnestly  hoped  that 
the  Government  will  undertake  the  work  of  making  some  systematic 
experiments  along  these  lines  at  an  early  day. 

TIMBER. 

It  has  been  truly  said  that  the  first  reo^isite  for  habitation  in  any 
country  is  timber.  In  this  particular  the  Yukon  Valley  is  well  sup- 
plied. With  the  exception  of  the  treeless  tundra  plains  of  the  region 
near  the  coast,  which  extend  inland  to  the  first  range  of  mountains,  the 
country  is  well  forested  throughout  its  length  and  breadth.  The 
heaviest  growth  of  timber  is  found  along  the  small  tributary  streams 
draining  the  lateral  valleys  of  the  Yukon  system  and  on  some  of  the 
sloughs  of  the  main  river.  It  is  probable  that  the  mean  annual  tem- 
perature is  higher  in  these  localities  than  it  is  directly  on  the  shores 
of  the  main  stream,  and  it  is  certain  that  the  valleys  are  more  sheltered 
from  the  wind.  This  will  no  doubt  account  for  the  larger  growth 
attained  by  the  trees  in  these  localities. 

The  most  important  of  all  the  forest  trees  found  in  this  region  is  the 
white  spruce  {Abies  alba).     This  beautiful  conifer  attains  a  height  in 


118 

some  favored  localities  of  over  100  feet,  with  a  diameter  of  over  4  feet 
at  the  butt.  The  stump  of  one  tree  which  I  examined  at  Dall  River 
measured  3  feet  across  the  top,  which  was  4  feet  above  the  ground, 
and  the  annual  rings  showed  that  the  tree  had  reached  the  age  of  90 
years.  The  average  size  of  the  spruce  trees  found  along  the  Yukon 
is,  however,  considerably  less,  and  in  exposed  situations  show  signs  of 
climatic  repression. 

Great  inroads  have  been  made  in  the  spruce  forests  along  the  imme- 
diate banks  of  the  Yukon  to  supply  fuel  for  the  steamboats  ptying  on 
the  river,  and  in  certain  localities  the  shores  have  been  almost  entirely 
denuded  of  timber. 

The  spruce  furnishes  the  only  source  of  supply  for  lumber  for  build- 
ing purposes  in  the  country,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  large  mining 
camps  and  military  posts,  where  a  demand  for  lumber  has  arisen,  the 
forests  have  been  almost  depleted  of  the  larger-sized  trees.  At  the 
present  time  it  is  found  necessaiy  to  leave  the  main  stream  and  go  some 
distance  up  the  small  tributaries  of  the  river  or  on  some  of  its  outlying 
sloughs  in  order  to  find  any  considerable  stands  of  timber  suitable  for 
the  manufacture  of  lumber.  During  the  winter  of  1900-1901  Mr. 
George  Sharpe  undertook  to  furnish  the  military  authorities  at  Fort 
Gibbon  with  600,000  feet  of  saw  logs,  which,  according  to  the  terms  of 
his  contract,  were  to  measure  not  less  than  12  inches  at  the  butt,  8  inches 
at  the  top,  and  to  be  12  feet  in  length.  Mr.  Sharpe  made  a  thorough 
examination  of  the  Yukon  River  banks  from  the  Ramparts  to  a  point 
75  miles  above  Dall  River,  and  informed  me  that  in  all  this  region  he 
did  not  find  enough  timber  of  the  size  required  to  warrant  him  in  set- 
ting his  men  at  work.  In  order  to  fill  his  contract  he  was  compelled 
late  in  the  season  to  go  up  the  Tanana  River  a  distance  of  about  80 
miles  from  the  mouth  of  that  stream  to  find  a  suitable  place  to  begin 
operations. 

What  has  been  said  of  the  scarcity  of  large-sized  trees,  however, 
should  not  be  understood  as  applying  to  trees  of  smaller  growth. 
There  is  in  every  lateral  valley  and  along  the  shores  of  the  Yukon, 
as  well  as  upon  nearly  every  island  in  the  river  from  Russian  Mission 
to  Dawson,  an  ample  supply  of  spruce  timber  to  last  for  years  to  come; 
but  as  I  have  before  stated,  the  forests  along  the  margin  of  the  steam- 
boat channels  have  been  -greatly  depleted,  and  very  soon  tramways  or 
some  other  means  of  transportation  will  become  necessary  in  the  work 
of  laying  down  the  wood  within  reach  of  the  steamers. 

Next  in  importance  to  the  spruce  for  commercial  purposes  comes 
the  birch,  of  which  two  varieties  are  found  in  this  region,  namely,  the 
white  or  paper  birch  {Betula papyracea)  and  the  red  birch  (B.  lento). 
Both  of  these  varieties  attain  a  size  sufficiently  large  for  us^as  fuel, 
and  in  some  localities,  as  in  the  vicinity  of  Nulato,  it  forms  the  pre- 
dominating feature  of  the  forest  growth.     Its  principal  use,  however, 


119 

is  for  the  manufacture  of  canoes,  snowshoes,  and  sleds  by  the  Indians, 
and  to  a  more  limited  extent  in  the  manufacture  of  native  baskets  and 
household  utensils  of  various  kinds. 

Two  species  of  poplar.  Populus  halmmifera  and  P.  tremuloldes, 
were  noted.  The  former  frequently  grows  to  a  height  of  60  to  80 
feet,  with  a  diameter  of  2  feet  at  the  butt.  Both  species  are  used  in 
the  construction  of  log  houses  when  spruce  logs  can  not  be  readily 
obtained,  and  to  a  limited  extent  for  fuel.  For  the  latter  purpose, 
however,  it  is  not  at  all  satisfactory,  owing  to  the  excessive  amount  of 
moisture  it  contains. 

Willows  and  alders  grow  in  the  greatest  abundance  along  the  banks 
of  the  main  river  and  its  tributaries.  The- former  is  most  generally 
seen  in  the  form  of  low-spreading  bushes  along  the  water  courses,  and 
is  seldom  over  12  feet  in  height.  In  some  sections  of  the  lower  and 
middle  river,  however,  a  slender  variety  is  found  which  attains  a 
height  of  60  or  TO  feet,  and  except  at  the  extreme  top  is  entirely 
devoid  of  branches.  The  trunk  is  seldom  larger  than  6  inches  in 
diameter.  The  timber  is  of  no  use  as  an  economic  product,  as  it  is 
invariably  rotton  at  the  heart. 

In  open  situations  a  species  of  larch  (Larix  Americanos)  is  some- 
times seen,  but  it  is  comparatively  rare,  and  is  seldom  more  than  15 
feet  in  height. 

A  dwarf  variety  of  juniper  {Juniperiis  communis)  was  observed  at 
one  or  two  places  on  the  river,  but  aside  from  the  value  of  its  berries 
as  a  diuretic  agent  it  has  no  commercial  value. 

The  list  of  trees  as  above  given  comprises  all  the  known  varieties 
indigenous  to  the  region. 

COAL. 

At  several  places  along  the  Yukon  coal  of  a  fair  quality  has  been 
found,  and  as  authentic  reports  of  its- presence  on  the  Koyukuk  River 
have  been  received,  it  seems  most  probable  that  the  deposits  of  coal 
which  are  known  to  exist  on  the  Kowak  River  and  the  northwest 
Arctic  coast  form  a  part  of  a  vast  coal-bearing  region  extending  from 
the  Yukon  Valley  northward  to  the  Arctic  Ocean. 

The  full  value  of  the  Yukon  coal  has  as  yet  not  been  satisfactorily 
determined.  A  considerable  amount  of  money  has  been  spent  in  the 
work  of  developing  several  of  the  most  promising  veins  along  the 
river,  and  while  some  very  fair  coal  has  been  obtained,  its  use  as  a 
substitute  for  wood  as  fuel  has  not  been  general.  The  coal  when  first 
taken  from  the  mines  has  the  appearance  of  the  best  form  of  lignite, 
but  it  has  a  decided  tendency  to  " slack"  after  exposure  to  the  open 
air,  and  in  this  condition  it  is  of  very  little  value  as  fuel.  By  analysis 
it  compares  very  favorably  with  any  of  the  coal  found  west  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  if  it  could  be  prevented  from  "slacking"  it 
would  undoubtedly  be  a  very  valuable  product. 


120 

The  veins  of  coal  are  usually  found  inclosed  between  thin  layers  of 
shale  and  brown  Miocene  sandstone.  The  widest  and  best-defined 
seams  of  which  a  personal  examination  were  made  by  the  writer  were 
at  the  Pioneer  Coal  Mine,  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Yukon, 
25  miles  upstream  from  Rampart  City.  Here  there  are  three  dis- 
tinct seams,  the  largest  of  which  was  nearty  3  feet  wide.  At  a  dis- 
tance of  a  thousand  yards  upstream  from  the  Pioneer  Mine  there 
was  observed  a  vein  of  coal  interbedded  with  the  shales,  and  sand- 
stones forming  the  stream  bluffs;  and  along  the  slopes  of  the  hills 
lying  north  of  the  river  dark  bands,  parallel  to  the  bedding,  were 
observed,  and  are  probably  the  outcrops  of  coal  beds.  There  seems 
to  be  no  doubt  that  further  exploration  in  this  locality  will  disclose  a 
vast  deposit  of  the  mineral,  which  may  prove  of  great  value  in  the 
future. 

GRASSES. 

The  treeless  plains  of  the  coast  and  the  lowlands  of  the  interior  are 
covered  in  spring  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  many  varieties  of  grasses 
which  would  furnish  the  best  of  pasturage  for  cattle  for  at  least  six 
months  of  the  }^ear.  The  depth  of  snow  on  the  level  ground  is  never 
so  great  as  to  completely  cover  up  some  of  these  grasses,  and  even  in 
the  winter  season  horses  have  been  subsisted  on  these  natural  meadows 
by  shoveling  off  the  surplus  snow,  so  as  to  give  the  animals  a  chance 
to  graze. 

Among  the  most  common  and  valuable  grasses  noted  and  identified 
were  the  Kentucky  blue  grass  (Poa  pratensis),  the  meadow  foxtail 
{Alopecurus  pratensis),  and  the  redtop  (Agrostis  vulgaris),  all  of  which 
grow  luxuriantly  in  the  open  swales  and  uplands  all  over  the  countiy. 
The  redtop  and  blue  grass  grow  to  a  surprising  height  during  the  hot 
summer  months,  often  waist  high  and  in  several  places  along  the  river 
give  the  impression  of  cultivated  fields.  The  blue  joint  grass  (Agro- 
pyrum  glaucum)  was  also  noted  in  many  places,  and  would  furnish 
abundant  pasturage  for  cattle. 

Among  the  undersirable  grasses  noted  is  the  squirrel  tail  {Hordeum 
jubatum),  which  might  cause  some  trouble  to  feeding  cattle,  but  fortu- 
nately it  is  not  common  among  the  other  grasses,  and  could  be  easily 
avoided. 

With  the  building  up  of  the  country  and  the  introduction  of  cattle 
there  will  be  a  large  demand  for  hay,  and  there  seems  to  be  no  doubt 
that  the  cultivation  of  this  article  would  prove  a  profitable  form  of 
employment  if  energetically  and  properly  conducted. 

CLIMATE. 

The  climate  of  the  Yukon  Valley  differs  very  materially  from  that 
of  the  coast  in  the  same  latitude.  On  the  coast  the  summer  months 
are  characterized  by  excessive  precipitation,  and  cold,  disagreeable 


121 

rains  are  of  frequent  occurrence.  The  average  summer  temperature 
of  the  air  on  the  coast  is  some  25  degrees  lower  than  that  of  the  inte- 
rior, and  to  this  fact  may  be  attributed  the  occurrence  of  frequent 
fogs  in  the  delta  region  of  the  Yukon.  The  influence  of  the  warm 
water  of  the  river  in  producing  fogs  is  felt  for  a  long  distance  from 
land  in  Bering  Sea.  but  it  is  a  rather  remarkable  fact  that  at  times 
when  the  whole  northwestern  portion  of  the  sea  may  be  shrouded  in 
impenetrable  mists,  the  harbor  of  St.  Michael  is  generally  free  from 
fogs.  Its  immunity  is  the  result,  most  probably,  of  its  situation  cut 
of  the  line  of  the  fluvial  path  of  the  Yukon  where  it  empties  into 
the  sea. 

The  cold,  misty  weather  of  the  coast  during  the  summer  season  is 
not  experienced  in  the  interior.  Beyond  the  first  range  of  mountains, 
which  forms  a  barrier  between  the  treeless  plains  of  the  coast  and  the 
Yukon  Valley,  the  summer  climate  is  tropical  in  character.  Tempera- 
tures of  90°  in  the  shade  are  not  infrequent,  and  authentic  records 
#bow  that  at  some  times  the  temperature  has  been  as  high  as  110c  in 
the  shade  for  short  periods.  The  warmest  months  are  June  and  July, 
when  the  sun  is  practically  in  sight  all  the  time.  During  seasons  of 
small  amount  of  rainfall,  which  are  by  no  means  uncommon  in  this 
district,  the  fierce  heat  of  midsummer  causes  much  suffering  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  river  settlements,  and  if  long  continued  may 
result  in  considerable  sickness. 

The  greatest  amount  of  rainfall  occurs  in  the  Yukon  Valley  during 
the  month  of  August  and  the  first  part  of  September.  In  the  absence 
of  any  authentic  statistics  on  the  subject,  it  is  impossible  to  state  the 
amount  of  annual  rainfall.  Our  own  movements  were  such  that  the 
necessary  data  could  not  be  collected,  as  we  were  absent  from  the 
river  during  the  month  of  July  and  the  most  of  August.  From  the 
opening  of  navigation  in  May  until  we  left  the  river  in  the  latter  part 
of  June  we  experienced  very  little  rainy  weather:  that  is.  very  little 
as  compared  with  the  amount  encountered  on  the  coast. 

The  winter  climate  of  the  interior  is  much  colder  than  that  of  the 
coast,  but,  owing  to  the  excessive  dryness  of  the  atmosphere  inland 
and  the  absence  of  wind  when  the  temperature  is  very  low,  it  is  much 
more  endurable.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  consensus  of  opinion  of 
those  who  have  lived  in  the  country  long  enough  to  be  competent 
judges  is  that  the  winter  months  are  the  pleasantest  ones  of  the  year. 

The  approach  of  winter  is  gradual,  and  as  a  general  thing  free  from 
gales  or  other  objectionable  features  which  usually  mark  the  change 
of  seasons  in  other  localities.  The  opening  of  spring  is  likely  to  be 
more  disagreeable,  owing  to  the  melting  of  the  winters  snow,  which 
renders  travel  very  difficult  for  a  few  weeks,  and  also  on  account  of 
the  sudden  changes  of  temperature  which  take  place  at  this  season. 
Work  in  the  open  air  can  be  carried  on  during  the  entire  winter  witn 


122 

very  little  discomfort  or  danger.  The  periods  of  cold  weather  which 
render  it  unsafe  for  travel  or  work  in  the  open  air  are  of  very  short 
duration,  seldom  lasting  over  a  week,  and  these  exceptionally  cold 
periods  seldom  occur  more  than  twice  in  the  same  season.  During  the 
winter  of  1901  the  temperature  fell  as  low  as  72°  and  for  two  weeks 
did  not  go  higher  than  66°  below  zero  (Fahrenheit),  as  registered  by  a 
standard  spirit  thermometer.  This  is  probably  the  longest  period  of 
excessivel}T  cold  weather  that  has  ever  been  recorded  in  the  country. 
In  order  to  dispose  of  the  fallacy  that  life  in  the  open  air  under  these 
circumstances  is  attended  by  any  great  danger,  it  may  be  of  interest  to 
know  that,  in  company  with  Lieut.  EL  J.  Erricksen,  United  States 
Army,  and  a  party  of  men  under  his  command,  Lieut.  W.  J.  Wheeler, 
of  the  JVunivak,  and  myself  spent  the  whole  of  this  time  in  camp  on  the 
banks  of  the  Yukon  with  no  other  protection  from  the  weather  than 
that  afforded  by  thin  drilling  tents.  It  was  of  course  impossible  to 
move  camp  under  these  conditions,  but  aside  from  the  enforced  deten- 
tion we  suffered  no  serious  discomforts. 

The  crew  of  the  Nunivah  were  required  to  work  in  the  open  air  all 
winter  cutting  wood  for  the  use  of  the  vessel,  and  aside  from  a  few 
cases  of  frostbite  caused  by  imprudent  exposure  of  the  hands  or  feet 
they  suffered  no  inconvenience. 

During  the  progress  of  the  stampede  to  Nome,  which  took  place  in 
the  winter  of  1900,  upward  of  2,000  persons  of  both  sexes  made  the 
long  journey  by  sled  from  Dawson  to  the  coast.  It  is  doubtful  whether 
a  similar  journey  could  have  been  performed  by  as  many  people  with 
less  amount  of  actual  suffering  from  exposure  in  any  part  of  the 
world. 

From  our  experience  in  the  country,  covering  a  period  of  over  two 
years,  and  from  information  gathered  from  various  authentic  sources, 
I  am  irresistibly  drawn  to  the  conclusion  that  the  winter  climate  of 
the  interior  of  Alaska  is  superior  in  many  respects  to  that  of  many  of 
our  Northern  States.  With  cheaper  means  of  transportation,  by  which 
the  necessaries  of  life  can  be  procured  at  less  cost,  and  better  facilities 
for  communication  with  the  outside  world,  there  is  no  good  reason 
why  this  little  known  and  greatly  misrepresented  country  should  not 
become  the  abiding  place  of  a  large  and  prosperous  population. 

As  I  write,  the  press  of  the  United  States  is  filled  with  reports  of 
the  problematical  riches  of  our  recently  acquired  possessions  in  the 
Torrid  Zone.  The  benefits  and  profits  to  be  reaped  from  trade  conces 
sions  and  political  affiliation  with  the  peoples  of  these  far-away  lands 
are  eagerly  discussed.  The  National  Government  is  pouring  out  a 
stream  of  blood  and  treasure,  first  to  subjugate  and  then  to  develop 
these  alien  islands.  Meanwhile  Alaska,  with  its  hundreds^  of  thou- 
sands of  square  miles  of  virgin  forests,  its  countless  rivers  and  far- 
reaching  seas  teeming  with  the  most  valuable  food  fishes  known  to 


123 

man.  with  its  millions  of  acres  of  pasture  lands,  capable  of  sustaining 
flocks  and  herds  of  sheep  and  cattle  large  enough  to  feed  the  world, 
and  with  its  mountains  in  which  the  buried  treasures  of  ages  lie  wait- 
ing for  the  miners'  pick  and  shovel,  Alaska  stands  at  our  doors  ignored, 
neglected,  and  almost  despised,  because  it  is  "cold."'  God  grant  that 
the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  the  youth  of  this  country,  whose  fore- 
fathers hewed  from  the  ice-bound  shores  of  Maine  and  Massachusetts 
the  foundations  of  the  great  Republic,  will  awake  from  their  lethargic 
dream  of  life  under  the  tropic  skies  of  the  land  of  maiiana  and  set 
their  faces  toward  our  northern  province.  Here,  amidst  sterner  but 
healthier  surroundings,  may  they  make  their  homes  and  perpetuate  a 
race  of  fearless,  self-reliant,  and  strenuous  men  and  women  of  the  type 
which — 

Born  of  the  hills  and  nurtured  by  the  winds, 

Knows  only  Freedom's  mighty  song  of  life. 


R  y 

V  OF     wAh< 


CHAPTER  II. 


COMMERCE  AND  NAVIGATION. 


HISTORY 


Prior  to  the  acquisition  of  the  Territory  of  Alaska  by  the  United 
States  in  the  year  1867,  traffic  between  the  Russians  and  the  natives 
of  the  interior  was  maintained  by  means  of  trading  posts  or  stations 
located  at  convenient  points  along  the  Yukon  River.  These  stations 
were  supplied  with  goods  brought  up  the  river  in  large  pulling  boats, 
called  bidarras,  which  ascended  the  river  every  summer  after  the 
opening  of  navigation,  and  after  delivering  the  supplies  and  collecting 
the  furs  which  had  been  procured  by  the  traders  during  the  previous 
winter  they  returned  to  the  headquarters  of  the  company  at  St. 
Michael,  on  the  coast,  before  the  close  of  navigation  in  the  fall.  Com- 
munication with  the  several  stations  was  kept  up  during  the  winter 
by  means  of  dog  teams,  and  small  quantities  of  supplies  were  some- 
times sledded  over  the  portage  to  the  near-by  stations  after  winter 
travel  set  in.  The  amount  of  material  that  could  be  transported  in 
this  way  was  ver\T  small,  however,  and  the  area  of  operations  was 
limited  to  the  stations  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  St.  Michael.  The 
more  remote  posts  were  compelled  to  depend  upon  their  own  resources 
entirely  in  case  of  a  shortage  of  supplies  during  the  winter. 

Following  closely  the  cession  of  the  Territory  to  the  United  States, 
a  trading  company  was  incorporated  by  a  party  of  Americans,  under 
the  title  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  for  the  purpose  of 
engaging  in  trade  in  our  new  possessions.  This  company  at  once  set 
about  the  work  of  reorganizing  the  business  methods  which  had 
hitherto  been  in  vogue,  and  among  other  innovations  they  built  and 
put  in  operation  a  small  60-ton  stern-wheel  steamer  for  the  trans- 
portation of  merchandise  from  the  coast  to  points  on  the  river.  This 
little  vessel,  which  was  christened  the  Yukon,  was  the  first  steam  vessel 
ever  to  pl\T  on  the  river,  and  from  its  advent  may  be  dated  the  begin- 
ning of  a  new  era  in  the  development  of  the  countiy. 

The  Yukon  continued  to  run  for  several  years,  making  trips  from 
St.  Michael  as  far  upstream  as  Selkirk,  a  distance  of  over  1,500  miles, 

5661—03 19  125 


126 

with  more  or  less  regularity  each  season,  until  it  was  accidentally 
destroyed  by  fire,  when  a  second  and  somewhat  larger  vessel  bearing 
the  same  name  was  built  by  the  company  to  take  its  place.  Mean- 
while business  at  the  several  trading  stations,  under  the  better  man- 
agement of  the  Americans,  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  more 
transportation  facilities  were  needed,  and  the  steamer  Arctic  was  built. 
After  the  Arctic  came  the  Beaver  in  due  course  of  time,  and  from  this 
small  beginning  the  present  splendid  fleet  of  more  than  100  mag- 
nificent river  steamers  has  been  evolved  to  meet  the  demands  of  the 
steadily  expanding  commerce  on  the  river. 

For  nearly  twenty  years  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  remained 
in  almost  undisputed  possession  of  the  commercial  field.  Now  and 
then  competing  companies  would  be  formed  for  the  purpose  of  secur- 
ing a  portion  of  the  business,  but  either  through  lack  of  enterprise  or 
because  the  business  of  trading  with  the  natives  was  never  really 
important  enough  to  warrant  competition,  opposition  companies  were 
not  successful  in  maintaining  a  foothold  in  the  country  until  the  dis- 
covery of  gold  caused  an  influx  of  white  men  and  a  sudden  demand 
was  made  for  supplies  and  transportation  immensely  greater  than  the 
old  company  could  meet. 

Until  this  period  the  business  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company 
was  confined  to  the  exchange  of  merchandise  for  the  furs  collected  by 
the  Indians  of  the  interior  almost  exclusively.  There  were  but  few 
white  people,  with  the  exception  of  their  agents,  in  the  country,  and 
of  these  it  may  be  said  they  were  more  frequently  a  source  of  expense 
and  worry  than  of  profit  to  the  company.  The  discovery  of  gold  for 
the  first  time  in  paying  quantities  in  Alaska  was  in  the  year  1886  in 
the  Stewart  River  country  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Fortymile  River. 

When  the  news  reached  the  outside,  it  was  received  with  varying 
degrees  of  credulity,  but  from  this  time  on  the  population  of  the 
Territory  slowly  but  surely  increased.  Many  prospectors  came  into 
the  country  ignorant  of  the  existing  conditions,  and  speedily  found 
themselves  destitute  and  without  means  of  returning  to  their  homes 
without  assistance.  Many  small  traders  followed  the  first  movement 
of  the  gold  seekers  equally  ignorant  and  equally  unfortunate.  Left 
alone  in  the  vast  interior  without  help,  it  is  certain  that  these  early 
pioneers  would  have  suffered  incredible  hardships  had  it  not  been  for 
the  generosity  and  forethought  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company. 
Orders  were  issued  from  the  home  office  to  the  agents  of  the  company 
throughout  the  Territory  forbidding  any  of  its  employees  to  charge 
any  more  than  the  regular  market  price  for  any  article  in  its  stores, 
under  any  circumstances,  and  an  additional  quantity  of  supplies  were 
hurriedly  sent  into  the  country  at  one  time  when  it  became  known 
that  an  unusual  number  of  prospectors  had  resolved  to  winleivin  the 
interior,  and  orders  were  given  to  the  agents  of  the  company  to  use 


127 

every  effort  to  see  that  no  one  suffered  for  lack  of  food  on  account  of 
the  lack  of  money.  In  cases  of  actual  destitution  the  agents  were 
authorized  and  directed  to  furnish  food  and  shelter  to  all  who  applied 
for  help  under  these  conditions  free  of  charge. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  this  generous  and  large-minded  policy  of 
the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  encouraged  prospectors  to  enter  the 
country  and  persevere  in  the  hunt  for  gold,  and  has  in  this  way  been 
one  of  the  most  important,  if  not  the  most  important,  factor  in  the 
growth  and  marvelous  development  of  the  country. 

From  the  year  1886  until  1891  the  population  of  the  valley  of  the 
Yukon  steadily  increased,  and  new  discoveries  of  gold  throughout  the 
region  made  the  prospects  of  a  still  larger  population  so  probable  that 
a  new  trading  company,  composed  of  Chicago  capitalists,  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  Portus  B.  Weare,  was  organized,  and  preparations 
were  made  on  a  scale  never  before  attempted  to  enter  the  field  for  the 
purpose  of  competing  with  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  for  a  por- 
tion of  the  now  rapidly  increasing  business  on  the  river. 

The  new  company  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the  North 
American  Transportation  and  Trading  Company,  with  headquarters  at 
St.  Michael.  During  the  summer  of  1892  a  steamer  of  100  tons  was 
completed  at  St.  Michael,  christened  the  P.  B.  Weare,  loaded  with  a  full 
cargo  of  merchandise,  and  late  in  the  fall  of  that  year  was  dispatched 
up  the  river  to  engage  in  traffic  in  the  country.  This  initiatory  step 
was  followed  by  the  erection  at  St.  Michael  and  at  various  points  on 
the  river  of  stores,  warehouses,  and  dwellings  of  a  size  and  style  hith- 
erto unheard  of  in  the  territory. 

Meanwhile  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  had  not  been  idle. 
New  steamers  were  built,  new  posts  established,  warehouses  enlarged, 
and,  in  fact,  everything  possible  was  done  to  keep  pace  with  the  busi- 
ness energy  of  its  younger  rival.  For  nearly  ten  years  these  two  com- 
panies remained  alone  in  the  field.  But  with  the  discovery  of  the  rich 
gold-bearing  placers  of  the  Klondike  River  and  its  tributaries  a  rush 
of  people  into  the  country  took  place,  which  for  a  time  absolutely 
overwhelmed  the  transportation  companies.  To  meet  the  demands  of 
the  new  commerce  new  vessels  were  built  by  both  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company  and  the  North  American  Transportation  and  Trading 
Company  and  put  in  commission  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  new  com- 
panies were  formed  and  preparations  made  to  enter  the  field  with 
astonishing  rapidity. 

Many  of  these  new  companies  never  survived  the  first  throes  of 
organization,  that  is  to  say,  after  the  first  issue  of  the  capital  stock 
had  been  foisted  onto  a  gullible  public  the  '*  company  "  disappeared 
from  existence  and  the  stockholders  were  left  to  console  themselves  as 
best  they  might  with  the  possession  of  a  lot  ot  worthless  certificates 
of  stock,  while  the  promoters  of  the  enterprises  quickly  withdrew  from 


128 

sight  to  enjoy  in  seclusion  the  fruits  of  their  ill-gotten  gains.  Others 
succeeded  in  reaching  St.  Michael  with  their  vessels  in  a  partially 
wrecked  condition  or  found  upon  arrival  at  that  place  that,  through 
ignorance  of  existing  conditions,  the  vessels  forming  a  part  of  their 
outfit  were  unsuitable  for  the  work  to  be  performed.  Still,  others 
there  were  who,  with  more  persistence  or  greater  intelligence  in  the 
work  of  preparation,  actually  succeeded  in  getting  their  vessels  started 
up  the  river  only  to  find  themselves  beaten  at  the  very  outset  in  the 
race  for  the  new  business  by  the  older  and  more  experienced  com- 
panies in  the  field.  Hundreds  of  abandoned  vessels,  with  their  outfits 
of  machinery  and  supplies,  can  be  seen  at  the  present  time  lying  on 
the  shores  of  St.  Michael  Harbor  and  scattered  along  the  Yukon  from 
its  mouth  to  Dawson,  the  mute  but  convincing  evidences  of  misdirected 
efforts  and  disappointed  hopes. 

Among  the  many  unsuccessful  ventures  none  seemed  so  gad  as  those 
in  which  farmers  and  mechanics,  with  no  experience  whatever  either 
in  the  handling  of  a  vessel  or  in  the  details  of  business  affairs,  formed 
small  cooperative  companies  and  embarked  their  entire  fortunes  in 
various  desperate  schemes  for  making  money  in  the  country. 

The  record  of  these  ill-advised  ventures  is  one  of  complete  failure. 
Not  a  single  one  of  them  met  with  even  partial  success.  One  instance 
which  came  under  our  personal  observation  was  that  of  an  old  man 
who  had  mortgaged  his  farm  in  one  of  the  Middle  States  and  with  the 
funds  obtained  in  this  way  had  joined  a  party  of  gold  seekers  bound 
for  Alaska.  A  small  steamer  was  purchased  and  fitted  out  with  sup- 
plies, and  the  expedition  after  undergoing  almost  incredible  hardships 
finally  succeeded  in  getting  up  the  Yukon  as  far  as  Nulato.  Here  the 
machinery  of  the  vessel  broke  down,  winter  overtook  them,  the  sup- 
plies became  exhausted,  and  the  members  of  the  party  were  compelled 
to  seek  employment  wherever  it  could  be  obtained  to  avoid  starvation. 

The  old  man  was  too  feeble  to  work  and  was  left  with  a  scant  supply 
of  provisions  to  take  care  of  the  vessel  during  the  winter.  But  the 
terrible  strain  had  been  too  much  for  him.  Worn  out  by  excessive 
labor,  weakened  by  the  lack  of  proper  food,  and  harassed  by  fear  in 
the  midst  of  his  strange  surroundings,  he  lost  his  reason  and  finally 
ended  his  life  by  committing  suicide. 

Not  all  of  the  companies,  however,  that  sprang  into  existence  at  this 
period  were  doomed  to  failure.  Several  corporations  were  formed 
and  under  the  careful  management  of  shrewd  business  and  professional 
men  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  foothold  and  a  share  of  the  immensely 
profitable  business  of  furnishing  supplies  and  transportation  to  the 
thousands  of  eager  people  who  were  now  pouring  into  the  territory. 
Among  the  corporations  which  were  formed  at  this  time  ano^»which 
succeeded  in  establishing  a  profitable  business,  those  that  are  men- 
tioned below  were  the  most  important,  viz: 


129 

The  Alaska  Exploration  Company,  the  Seattle-Yukon  Transporta- 
tion Company,  and  the  Empire  Transportation  Company. 

From  the  year  1898  until  the  opening  of  navigation  in  the  year  1901 
these  three  companies  and  the  two  older  concerns,  namely,  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  and  the  North  American  Transportation  and 
Trading  Company,  were  all  independent  corporations,  each  operating- 
separate  lines  of  ocean  and  river  steamers,  and  each  maintaining  at 
the  principal  settlements  in  the  interior  stores  where  merchandise  of 
every  kind  suitable  for  use  in  the  country  could  be  purchased. 

Meanwhile  the  Canadian  business  men  had  not  been  idle  in  Dawson. 
Lines  of  fast  steamers  were  built  and  put  in  operation  between  Daw- 
son and  the  termination  of  the  trail  over  the  mountains  from  the  coast, 
and  every  effort  was  made  to  induce  people  to  enter  the  country  by  this 
route  and  to  purchase  their  supplies  from  British  business  houses.  The 
completion  of  the  railroad  from  Skagway  to  White  Horse,  in  British 
territory,  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  transportation  business  on  the 
lower  river.  In  order  more  effectively  to  compete  with  the  railroad 
and  steamboat  transportation  companies  of  the  upper  river  a  tempo- 
rary arrangement  was  entered  into  during  the  winter  of  1901  between 
all  of  the  American  transportation  companies  by  which  a  new  com- 
pany was  formed  under  the  name  of  the  Northern  Navigation  Com- 
pany for  the  transaction  of  all  the  transportation  business  in  the 
American  part  of  the  territoiy,  and  another  company  was  formed  at 
the  same  time  for  the  transaction  of  all  the  mercantile  business  under 
the  name  of  the  Northern  Commercial  Company.  All  of  the  com- 
panies also  entered  into  this  merger  with  the  exception  of  the  North 
American  Transportation  and  Trading  Company,  which  maintained  its 
separate  organization.  In  so  far  as  the  arrangement  for  the  combina- 
tion of  the  transportation  business  interests  of  all  the  companies  under 
one  head  relates  to  this  latter  company  it  is  understood  that  it  termi- 
nated at  the  end  of  the  open  season  of  navigation  in  the  summer  of 
1901.  It  will  be  thus  seen  that  at  the  present  time  the  mercantile  and 
transportation  business  of  the  Yukon  Valley  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
following  corporations,  viz,  the  Northern  Commercial  Company,  the 
Northern  Navigation  Company,  and  the  North  American  Transporta- 
tion and  Trading  Company. 

In  addition  to  the  above-named  transportation  companies  there  has 
been  recently  organized  an  independent  line  of  steamers  under  British 
ownership  to  ply  between  Dawson  and  St.  Michael.  Terminal  facili- 
ties at  the  latter  place  have  been  granted  the  company  by  the  United 
States  Government,  and  although  by  law  these  steamers  will  not  be 
allowed  to  engage  in  any  local  traffic  on  the  river  they  will  no  doubt 
prove  active  competitors  with  the  American  steamers  in  the  transpor- 
tation of  passengers  and  freight  between  the  terminal  points  in  the 


130 

district  A  complete  list  of  the  vessels,  including  barges,  which  were 
in  use  on  the  Yukon  River  during  the  season  of  1901,  together  with 
the  tonnage  of  the  same,  is  shown  in  the  appendix. 

METHODS    OF   TRANSPORTATION. 

In  a  general  way  it  may  be  said  that  transportation  of  passengers  and 
freight  throughout  the  American  portion  of  Alaska  begins  when  nav- 
igation on  the  Yukon  opens  in  thespringand  ends  when  the  river  freezes 
over  in  the  fall.  Winter  transportation  by  sled  over  the  trails  at  the 
present  time  is  confined  to  the  movement  of  individuals  and  has  as  yet 
not  been  taken  up  as  a  business  to  an  extent  which  renders  it  worthy 
of  discussion.  Sled  traveling  as  a  means  of  communication  will  be 
mentioned  under  another  heading  later  on  in  this  report. 

The  Yukon  usually  breaks  up  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  is  open  for 
navigation  during  the  summer  months  and  closes  by  the  first  week  in 
October.  The  harbor  of  St.  Michael  is  seldom  free  from  ice  before 
the  20th  of  June.  It  will  be  seen  therefore  that  the  traffic  on  the 
river  may  be  going  on  at  least  a  month  before  communication  is  pos- 
sible by  boat  between  points  in  the  interior  and  St.  Michael.  On 
the  other  hand  the  upper  waters  of  the  river  are  the  first  to  freeze 
over  and  the  lower  portion  and  the  sea  may  be  open  for  navigation 
two  weeks  after  all  movements  of  boats  in  its  upper  portion  has  become 
impossible. 

Advantage  has  been  taken  of  this  by  some  of  the  companies  to  send 
steamers  fully  loaded  into  the  river  from  the  coast  late  in  the  fall,  and 
lay  them  up  for  the  winter  in  some  suitable  place  on  the  lower  river. 
By  this  means  they  are  enabled  to  send  these  vessels  on  their  way 
upstream  immediately  after  the  river  is  clear  of  ice  in  the  spring. 

Goods  intended  for  stations  in  the  interior  are  purchased  in  the 
States  during  the  winter  months  and  shipped  in  ocean-going  vessels 
to  St.  Michael  on  the  opening  of  navigation  in  the  spring.  Here  they 
are  transferred  to  the  river  steamers  and  by  them  transported  to  the 
several  points  of  destination. 

In  the  early  days  of  transportation  on  the  Yukon  passengers  bound 
for  the  interior  of  the  territory  also  came  by  way  of  St.  Michael,  but 
with  the  completion  of  the  railroad  connecting  Skagway,  on  the  coast 
of  southeast  Alaska,  with  White  Horse,  on  the  upper  waters  of  the 
Yukon,  by  far  the  greater  number  of  passengers  choose  this  more 
convenient  and  expeditious  method  of  reaching  their  destinations.  The 
trip  by  rail  over  the  mountains  is  made  in  a  few  hours,  and  upon 
arrival  at  White  Horse  passengers  can  make  close  connection  with  a 
line  of  fast  and  commodious  steamers  plying  between  that  point  and 
Dawson.  From  Dawson  to  places  still  farther  downstrearfl  ample 
means  of  transportation  are  furnished  by  the  fleet  of  American 
steamers,  and  delays  en  route  are  of  infrequent  occurrence. 


131 

The  class  of  vessel  universally  in  use  on  the  Yukon  is  the  stern- 
wheel  steamer,  similar  in  construction  to  those  in  use  on  the  rivers  of 
Vhe  States.  The  older  boats  were  designed  more  as  freight  carriers 
than  for  the  accommodation  of  passengers,  but  later  additions  to  the 
fleet  are  furnished  with  every  appliance  for  the  comfort  of  passengers 
usually  found  on  first-class  vessels  of  this  kind  in  any  section  of  the 
country,  and  in  point  of  speed  and  accommodations  will  compare 
favorably  with  other  boats  of  this  kind  anywhere.  All  of  the  larger 
vessels  and  most  of  the  smaller  ones  are  lighted  b}T  electricity,  heated 
by  steam,  and  have  all  the  other  accessories  which  modern  ideas  of 
comfort  demand.  The  large  packets  have  refrigerating  plants 
installed  and  are  by  this  means  enabled  to  furnish  passengers  with 
fresh  meat,  vegetables,  and  fruit  throughout  the  trip  up  or  down  the 
river.  The  cooking  and  service  is  good — in  fact,  very  much  better 
than  one  would  be  led  to  expect  in  such  an  out-of-the-way  locality. 

The  shortness  of  the  open  period  of  navigation  on  the  river  and  its 
tributaries  and  the  great  distances  over  which  it  is  necessaiy  to  trans- 
port supplies  make  it  necessary  to  load  the  vessels  as  deeply  as 
possible  on  each  trip.  In  addition  to  its  own  load  all  of  the  vessels, 
with  the  exception  of  the  large  passenger  packets,  are  frequently 
called  upon  to  take  one  or  two,  and  sometimes  as  man}^  as  three,  loaded 
barges  in  tow.  When  two  barges  are  towed,  one  is  taken  on  each  side 
of  the  steamer,  but  if  only  one  is  taken  it  is  lashed  firmly  to  the  steam- 
er's bow  directly  in  line  ahead,  and  in  this  position  is  pushed  rather 
than  towed  up  or  down  the  river.  It  is  claimed  by  old  steamboat  men 
that  this  method  of  handling  barges  is  far  superior  to  the  usual  custom 
of  towing  them  astern.  In  order  to  conveniently  handle  a  barge  in 
this  way,  however,  it  is  necessary  to  have  the  bow  of  the  steamer  con- 
structed in  a  peculiar,  manner  the  details  of  which  can  readily  be 
understood  by  reference  to  the  accompanying  photograph  of  the  bow 
of  the  steamer  Leah. 

All  of  the  river  steamers  have  as  a  part  of  their  equipment  a  set  of 
heavy  spars  and  tackles  in  place  on  the  forward  deck,  technically 
termed  "  the  sparring  outfit."  These  spars  are  used  to  assist  in  getting 
the  vessels  off  sand  bars  or  shoal  places  and  into  deep  water  in  case 
they  should  get  aground.  With  skillful  handling  of  the  sparring  out- 
fit by  an  experienced  steamboat  man,  a  vessel  can  be  almost  lifted 
bodily  over  a  sand  bar  or  "  crutched"  into  deep  water  by  setting  the 
spars  on  the  bottom  at  a  slight  angle,  making  the  tackles  fast,  and 
then  working  the  vessel  either  ahead  or  astern,  as  may  be  more  advisa- 
ble, with  the  wheel.  For  simply  pushing  the  bow  around  in  any 
direction  so  as  to  get  into  deeper  water  one  of  the  spars  is  set  on  the 
bottom  on  the  side  opposite  to  the  direction  in  which  it  is  desired  to 
have  the  vessel  moved  and  then  taking  the  hauling  part  of  the  tackle 
attached  to  the  spar  to  the  capstan,  a  strain  is  put   on  it   until  the 


132 

desired  end  is  accomplished.  Anchors,  the  usual  resort  of  seamen  in 
case  of  the  grounding  of  their  vessels,  are  of  but  little  use  on  the 
Yukon  for  getting  a  boat  off  shore.  Aside  from  the  difficulty  and 
danger  of  laying  out  a  heavy  anchor  in  a  rapid  current,  the  poor 
quality  of  the  river  bottom  as  holding  ground  usually  makes  such 
attempts  ineffectual. 

In  the  navigation  of  the  "flats'-  it  sometimes  happens  that  the 
channel  is  very  narrow  and  tortuous,  while  at  the  same  time  the 
current  may  be  very  strong.  In  these  cases  there  is  great  danger 
that  a  vessel  in  attempting  to  make  its  wslj  through  these  places  will 
be  swept  b}T  the  current  onto  the  bar  or  reef  forming  the  lower  side 
of  the  passage.  To  overcome  this  difficulty  an  appliance  called  a 
"deadman"  is  very  generally  brought  into  use.  The  "deadman"  is 
a  short  spar  not  over  15  feet  in  length  and  light  enough  to  be  handled 
by  one  man.  When  the  vessel  is  approaching  one  of  the  narrow 
channels  a  man  is  landed  on  the  upper  end  of  the  shoal  and  works  the 
lower  end  of  the  "  deadman"  down  into  the  sand  a  distance  of  6  or  8 
inches.  A  long  line  is  then  run  from  the  steamer  and  the  end  made 
fast  to  the  "deadman"  about  a  foot  from  the  ground.  When  the  line 
is  hauled  taut  aboard  the  steamer  and  all  is  ready  the  man  on  shore 
holds  the  free  end  of  the  spar  and  by  "giving  and  taking"  in  on  the 
line  as  the  vessel  drops  down  stream  it  can  be  held  taut  enough  to 
prevent  the  vessel  from  swinging  out  of  the  channel  while  making  the 
short  turn.  The  proper  handling  of  the  "  deadman "  requires  con- 
siderable skill  on  the  part  of  the  man  on  shore,  and,  as  a  rule,  when 
undertaken  by  a  novice  is  liable  to  end  in  failure. 

FUEL. 

The  steamers  plying  the  Yukon  are  fitted  with  furnaces  designed  for 
burning  either  wood  or  coal  to  make  steam.  While  the  former  is  used 
almost  exclusively,  it  sometimes  happens  that  a  vessel  leaving  St. 
Michael  is  compelled  to  use  coal  for  fuel  until  the  wooded  section  of 
the  river  is  reached,  a  distance  of  about  200  miles  from  the  coast. 
The  Eskimos  living  in  the  delta  region  collect  driftwood  in  the  spring 
for  sale  to  passing  steamers,  but  this  supply  is  limited  as  to  quantity, 
bad  in  quality,  and  exorbitant  as  to  price.  During  the  summer  of 
1901  a  number  of  steamers  were  unexpectedly  dela3'ed  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river  by  the  presence  of  ice  in  the  harbor  of  St.  Michael  where 
they  were  bound.  Fuel  became  somewhat  scarce  before  the  opening 
of  navigation,  and  the  thrifty  Eskimos  met  the  increased  demand  for 
wood  by  steadily  increasing  the  price  for  what  they  had  on  hand. 
The  original  price  per  cord  had  been  fixed  by  them  at  $8,  but  when 
they  learned  that  some  of  the  vessels  were  short  it  gradually  rose 
until  it  reached  $45  per  cord! 

The  average  cost  of   wood  along  the  river   is  $8  per  cord.     After 


\  133 

Andreafski  is  passed  the  wooded  section  of  the  river  is  entered  and 
wood-choppers'  camps  are  found  at  convenient  distances  apart  all  the 
way  upstream. 

The  commercial  companies  have  their  own  wood  yards,  where  a 
supply  of  wood  is  constantly  kept  on  hand,  and  for  which  wood 
choppers  are  paid  a  fixed  price  per  cord  as  agreed  upon  from  year  to 
year  by  contract.  Each  company  has  in  its  employ  agents  whose  sole 
duty  it  is  to  travel  up  and  down  the  river  throughout  the  year  making 
contracts  for  the  cutting  and  storing  of  wood  for  the  use  of  the 
steamers  during  the  season  of  open  navigation,  keeping  an  account  of 
the  supply  on  hand  and  the  location  of  bodies  of  timber  from  which 
future  supplies  of  fuel  can  be  obtained.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say 
that  this  duty  calls  for  the  exercise  of  business  ability  of  a  high  order 
and  can  be  filled  only  by  men  capable  of  enduring  a  life  of  almost  con- 
stant exposure. 

In  addition  to  the  wood  yards  maintained  by  the  several  trading 
companies,  there  are  a  large  number  of  men  engaged  in  cutting  wood 
for  sale  in  open  market.  Most  of  these  independent  wood  choppers 
orignally  entered  the  country  to  search  for  gold,  and  failing  to  find 
the  precious  metal  have  resorted  to  this  means  of  gaining  a  livelihood. 
Very  little  wood  is  now  cut  by  the  natives  of  the  interior  for  sale. 
The  more  energetic  white  man  has  almost  entirely  driven  the  indolent 
and  easy-going  native  from  the  field. 

Wood  }Tards  are  usually  located  conveniently  near  to  some  place 
which  is  accessible  to  vessels  and  at  the  same  time  has  facilities  in  the 
way  of  high  banks  on  which  the  wood  can  be  piled  out  of  the  reach  of 
high  water.  In  a  number  of  places  the  timber  is  cut  high  up  on  the 
steep  hillsides  and  corded  where  the  trees  are  felled.  It  is  after- 
wards run  down  to  the  water's  edge  in  chutes  and  taken  on  board  ves- 
sels in  whatever  quantity  that  may  be  desired.  In  other  places  the 
use  of  chutes  to  get  the  wood  down  the  hills  is  dispensed  with.  By 
cutting  away  the  prop  which  supports  the  lower  end  of  a  long  pile  of 
wood,  the  whole  mass  is  started  and  comes  thundering  down  the 
steep  bank  to  the  water's  edge  like  an  avalanche.  It  is  then  picked  up 
stick  by  stick  and  carried  on  board  the  steamer. 

The  question  of  fuel  for  vessels  engaged  in  traffic  on  the  Yukon  is 
one  of  the  most  important  ones  to  be  considered.  The  expense  for 
this  item  alone  is  enormous,  as  can  be  easily  understood  when  the 
amount  required  by  the  steamers  is  known. 

The  average  daily  consumption  of  wood  for  fuel  during  the  active 
season  on  one  of  the  smaller  sized  vessels  is  about  30  cords  and  from 
45  to  50  cords  on  the  large  packets.  The  cost  of  fuel  alone  used  on 
one  of  the  larger  vessels  while  making  the  trip  from  St.  Michael  to 
Dawson  and  return  will  approximate  $15,000,  and  in  the  case  cf 
steamers  towing  barges  this  cost  will  be  still  greater. 


134 

Considerable  loss  and  anno}Tance  is  suffered  by  the  owners  of  wood 
yards  along  the  river  as  a  result  of  the  dishonest  methods  of  some  of 
the  masters  of  independent  steamers  plying  the  stream.  Unless  a 
constant  watch  is  maintained  over  their  movements,  wood  will  be  taken 
by  them  and  no  attempt  ever  will  be  made  to  pay  for  it.  If  the  bill 
be  presented  it  may  be  paid,  but  if,  unfortunately,  as  sometimes  occurs, 
the  owner  of  the  wood  can  not  tell  what  steamer  took  it,  the  chances 
of  his  being  paid  are  very  poor.  This  reprehensible  conduct  on  the 
part  of  dishonest  steamboat  men  is  one  not  easily  guarded  against,  and 
will  be  more  fully  commented  upon  under  another  subheading  of  this 
report. 

As  has  been  already  stated,  the  development  of  the  coal  measures  of 
the  Yukon  Valle}^  has  as  yet  not  reached  the  stage  where  it  may  be 
predicted  with  certainty  that  its  use  will  supersede  that  of  wood  for 
fuel.  It  is  probable  that  in  the  future  coal  of  good  steaming  quality 
may  be  mined  on  the  river,  or  within  easy  reach  of  the  line  of  steam- 
boat travel  by  short  lines  of  railway.  The  substitution  of  coal  for 
wood  would  tend  to  simplify  questions  of  transportation  of  vastly 
greater  importance  than  the  mere  difference  in  cost  of  the  two  articles. 
The  use  of  wood  for  fuel  necessitates  frequent  stops  and  long  delays 
to  take  on  fuel,  and  a  great  deal  of  valuable  space,  which,  under  pres- 
ent conditions,  must  be  reserved  for  the  stowage  of  wood,  could  be 
used  for  the  transportation  of  freight  if  coal  were  used.  Good  steam- 
ing coal  would  probably  command  a  price  of  $15  per  ton,  if  laid  down 
within  reach  of  the  steamers  on  any  part  of  the  river.  In  order  to 
sell  it  at  this  figure,  however,  it  must  be  found  in  the  country.  The 
cost  of  transportation  effectually  prevents  its  importation. 

CREWS. 

In  the  early  days  of  traffic  on  the  Yukon  the  crews  of  the  steamers, 
with  the  exception  of  the  officers,  were  almost  exclusively  made  up  of 
natives,  but  with  the  beginning  of  the  new  commercial  era  on  the 
river  the  more  exacting  duties  and  harder  work  required  of  the  crews 
of  the  competing  steamers  soon  caused  the  indolent  and  pleasure-loving 
natives  to  be  driven  out  of  this  ffeld  of  employment  and  their  places 
were  filled  by  white  men.  At  the  present  time  no  natives  are  employed 
on  the  river  steamers  except  in  the  capacity  of  pilots,  and  even  as 
such  they  are  not  satisfactory,  and  their  services  are  being  dispensed 
with  as  soon  as  white  men  can  be  found  with  a  sufficient  knowledge  of 
the  river  channels  to  take  their  place.  The  hard  and  almost  continu- 
ous work  which  the  crews  of  the  vessels  are  called  upon  to  perform 
during  the  active  season  makes  it  necessary  to  employ  a  much  larger 
force  of  men  than  would  suffice  on  vessels  of  a  similar  character  in 
other  localities.     From  the  opening  of  navigation  until  its  close  the 


135 

vessels  are  kept  going  night  and  day,  and  in  the  absence  of  the  usual 
facilities  for  handling  freight  at  the  several  stations  along  the  river 
every  article  to  be  landed  must  be  carried  by  hand  from  ship  to  shore 
and  transported  up  the  steep  banks  to  the  stores  and  warehouses. 
Wood  for  fuel  is  also  brought  on  board  in  the  same  way,  and  in  order 
to  save  time  a  large  number  of  men  is  indispensable. 

The  complement  of  the  crew  usually  carried  by  the  larger  vessels 
comprises  the  following:  One  master,  2  mates,  1  chief  engineer, 
1  assistant  engineer,  1  purser,  1  freight  clerk,  1  steward,  2  pilots, 
8  firemen,  25  deck  hands,  3  cooks,  and  17  waiters. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  list  that  the  complement  of  the  crew 
for  the  larger  vessels  is  about  60  men.  The  smaller  vessels  have  the 
same  number  of  officers  but  a  smaller  number  of  subordinates.  The 
full  complement  usually  carried  on  these  boats  is  about  30  men. 

In  the  past  the  officers  of  the  steamers  have  been  generally  engaged 
under  contract  for  a  term  of  from  one  to  three  years,  but  the  condition 
of  the  labor  market  on  the  river  is  now  such  that  this  will  probably  not 
be  necessary  in  the  future.  The  salaries  given  by  all  the  companies  are 
liberal  enough  to  induce  the  best  class  of  men  to  seek  employment  on 
the  steamers,  and  there  is  no  lack  of  material  from  which  to  choose. 
The  result  of  this  state  of  affairs  is  that  the  steamers  plying  the  Yukon 
are  officered  by  as  fine  and  as  intelligent  a  bod}T  of  men  as  can  be  found 
in  similar  employment  anywhere  in  the  country.  The  crews  are 
engaged  by  the  month.  The  average  salaries  paid  by  all  the  com- 
panies to  its  employees  on  the  river  boats  is  as  follows: 

Per  nionth. 

Masters $200 

Mates 100 

Chief  engineers 150 

Assistant  engineer 100 

Pilots 150 

Pursers 100 

Freight  clerks 60 

Steward 100 

Cooks 90 

Waiters  50 

Firemen "5 

Deck  hands 60 

All  the  employees  of  the  companies,  both  ashore  and  afloat,  receive, 
in  addition  to  their  pay,  board  and  lodging.  The  privilege  of  pur- 
chasing any^  article  from  the  stores  of  the  companies  at  San  Francisco 
cost  price,  with  25  per  cent  added  to  cover  cost  of  transportation,  is 
also  given  all  the  employees,  and  leaves  of  absence,  with  free  trans- 
portation to  and  from  their  homes  in  the  States,  are  granted  the  officers 
of  vessels  on  an  average  of  once  in  every  two  years. 


136 


AMOUNT    OF   TRAFFIC. 


The  amount  of  freight  transported  from  St.  Michael  to  points  on  the 
Yukon  River  and  its  tributaries  during  the  season  of  1901  can  not  be 
given  accurately,  but  from  the  data  which  are  available  the  following- 
statement  is  made  and  is  approximately  correct: 

Vessels,  exclusive  of  barges,  employed  on  the  river. .  .number. .  35 

Freight  transported  upstream  from  St.  Michael tons. .  25,  000 

Passengers  transported  from  Dawson number. .  500 

Passengers  transported  to  Dawson do 350 

Passengers  transported  from  way  points  upstream do 500 

Passengers  transported  from  way  points  downstream do 1,  200 

The  amount  of  freight  transported  downstream  is  too  small  to  be 
taken  into  account. 

For  a  schedule  of  freight  and  passenger  rates  on  the  river,  see 
appendix. 

WINTER   QUARTERS. 

As  has  been  already  stated,  the  period  of  open  navigation  on  the 
Yukon  begins  about  the  26th  of  May  and  usually  ends  before  the 
middle  of  October.  After  the  first  week  in  October  it  is  unsafe  for  a 
vessel  to  attempt  to  make  the  run  through  from  St.  Michael  to  Dawson. 
The  trip  upstream  takes  from  fifteen  to  twenty  days  in  midsummer, 
when  all  the  conditions  for  quick  transit  are  most  favorable.  Toward 
the  latter  part  of  the  season  the  decreasing  hours  of  daylight  and  lower 
water  in  the  river  make  progress  slower,  and  the  fastest  vessels  of 
the  fleet  would  require  at  leat  twenty  days  to  make  the  run.  Should 
a  vessel  be  caught  and  frozen  in  the  main  river,  the  chances  of  its 
escape  in  the  spring  during  the  annual  break-up  would  be  very  small. 
The  movement  of  the  ice  is  so  sudden  and  violent  at  this  time  that  no 
vessel  can  escape  either  serious  injury  or  total  wreck.  Forthis  reason 
as  soon  as  the  first  ice  forms  on  the  upper  river  all  traffic  is  suspended, 
and  the  vessels  are  taken  into  some  safe  haven  and  laid  up  for  the 
winter. 

There  are  several  places  on  the  river  which  furnish  safe  quarters  for 
vessels  during  the  winter  and  several  methods  of  laying  them  up.  A 
brief  description  of  these  methods  may  not  be  out  of  piace  at  this  time. 

Vessels  which  are  wintered  at  St.  Michael  or  anywhere  on  the  coast 
where  the  tidal  movement  of  the  ice  is  felt  are  usually  hauled  out  on 
the  beach  above  high-water  mark,  blocked  up  level,  and  left  in  this 
position  until  the  opening  of  navigation  in  the  .spring,  when  they  are 
again  launched.  In  order  to  haul  out  a  vessel  in  this  way,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  construct  "ways"  of  heavy  timbers,  upon  which  the  vessel  is 
floated  at  high  water  as  far  up  as  possible,  and  then,  by  means  of  very 
heavy  tackles  attached  to  crabs  or  winches  on  shore,  hauled*\ip  out  of 
reach  of  the  highest  storm  tides.     By  means  of  jacks  the  vessel  is  then 


mmmas^m 


mmmmm 


137 

lifted  up  and  securely  placed  on  blocks  in  a  level  position.  The  outer 
ends  of  the  "ways"  are  taken  up  to  prevent  them  from  being  washed 
awa\Tb\T  the  waves  and  also  to  prevent  injury  to  the  vessel  in  case  they 
should  be  torn  up  by  the  sea  and  dashed  like  battering  rams  against 
the  hull. 

Stern-wheel  steamers  being  perfectly  flat  on  the  bottom,  are  for 
convenience  sake  almost  invariably  hauled  out  broadside  to  the 
beach.  In  order  to  fully  appreciate  the  labor  and  power  needed 
to  haul  out  a  steamer  in  the  manner  above  described,  it  may  be 
stated  that  when  the  Xunivak  was  hauled  out  at  St.  Michael  seven 
tackles  formed  of  triple  24-inch  blocks  and  4-inch  manila  cordage 
for  a  fall  were  used.  One  of  the  blocks  of  each  tackle  was  hooked 
into  a  sling  made  from  a  6-inch  hawser  passed  around  the  vessel's 
hull  and  the  other  block  was  hooked  into  a  long  wire  pennant, 
which  in  turn  was  secured  to  a  heavy  piece  of  timber  buried  in  the 
ground  to  a  depth  of  6  feet  to  serve  as  an  anchor.  The  hauling 
part  of  each  tackle  was  led  to  a  crab  set  up  on  shore,  and  the  serv- 
ices of  60  men  were  required  to  move  the  vessel  even  with  this 
immense  purchase. 

The  material  for  the  construction  of  the  "ways''  for  hauling  out 
the  Ximivak  was  as  follows:  Thirty  pieces  lumber  8  \>y  12  inches  by 
50  feet;  60  pieces  lumber  4  by  6  inches  b}T  24  feet,  surfaced;  60  pieces 
lumber  2  by  12  inches  by  20  feet;  20  pieces  lumber  2  by  4  inches  by 
16  feet;  4  pieces  lumber  4  by  12  inches  by  24  feet,  for  "deadmen;" 
50  pieces  lumber  8  by  8  inches  by  20  feet,  for  blocking;  1  keg  of 
6-inch  spikes;  1  keg  of  4-inch  nails. 

Up  to  the  present  time  no  attempts  have  been  made  to  haul  out 
vessels  which  are  wintered  in  the  interior.  They  are  simply  taken 
into  some  place  where  they  will  be  out  of  danger  from  the  running 
ice  in  the  spring  and  allowed  to  freeze  in.  The  safest  and  most  con- 
venient places  for  wintering  a  vessel  in  the  interior  are  found  on 
some  of  the  small  tributary  streams  of  the  Yukon,  but  they  are  not 
always  accessible,  and  in  such  cases  vessels  have  safely  wintered  in 
some  of  the  slack-water  sloughs  of  the  main  river,  where  as  a  usual 
thing  but  little  danger  exists  from  the  movement  of  the  ice  when  it 
breaks  up  in  the  spring.  This  statement  is,  however,  not  to  be 
accepted  as  implying  an  entire  absence  of  danger  from  this  source,  as 
experience  has  proved  that  the  movement  of  ice  in  the  spring  varies 
so  much  from  year  to  year  that  hardly  any  dependence  can  be  placed 
upon  prophecies  as  to  its  action  for  any  given  season.  A  jam  in  the 
main  river  when  the  break-up  takes  place  may  cause  the  water  and 
floating  masses  of  ice  to  back  up  into  a  slough  to  such  an  extent  that 
when  it  goes  out  it  will  be  with  such  a  rush  that  everything  movable 
will  be  taken  with  it.  In  such  an  event  a  vessel  wintering  in  the 
slough  would  be  no  better  oft'  than  if  she  had  remained  in  the  main  part 


138 

of  the  river.  In  some  of  these  slack-water  sloughs — as,  for  instance,  in 
one  near  the  mouth  of  the  Tozikakit  River — vessels  which  have  passed 
the  winter  in  the  slough  may  be  able  to  enter  the  mouth  of  the  river 
before  the  ice  begins  to  move  in  the  main  stream,  as  it  is  a  fact 
worthy  of  note  that  the  tributary  streams  and  sloughs  are  always 
open  before  the  Yukon  is  in  the  spring. 

The  most  preferable  and  by  far  the  safest  method  of  wintering  a 
vessel  in  the  interior  is  to  enter  some  small  tributary  stream  of  the 
main  stream  at  the  close  of  navigation  and  spend  the  winter  there. 
The  ice  invariably  breaks  up  in  these  small  streams  before  it  does  in 
the  main  river.  The  movement  of  the  ice  in  breaking  up  is  seldom 
so  violent  as  to  cause  any  great  amount  of  damage.  The  danger  to 
vessels  wintering  in  the  small  streams  from  ice  backing  up  in  them  from 
the  Yukon  if  a  jam  occurs  in  the  latter  at  the  time  of  the  annual 
spring  break-up,  a  contingency  by  no  means  of  unusual  occurrence, 
can  be  avoided  by  moving  the  vessel  farther  upstream  and  keeping 
clear  of  the  ice  until  the  jam  is  broken  and  it  runs  out  and  leaves  the 
river  clear  again.  After  the  ice  in  the  tributary  streams  breaks  up 
in  the  spring,  and  some  days  before  the  main  river  is  clear,  the  water 
in  the  former  rises  rapidl}7  and  in  some  seasons  overflows  the  high 
banks.  Care  must  be  observed  in  moving  a  vessel  from  place  to 
place  during  this  stage  of  high  water  not  to  get  aground,  as  the  sub- 
sidence of  the  flood  is  as  rapid  as  its  rise,  and  serious  injuiy  may 
result  from  being  caught  by  the  falling  water  and  left  high  and  dry. 
This  danger  ma}r  be  better  understood  by  an  examination  of  the 
photograph  of  the  Dall  River,  taken  just  before  the  annual  flood 
period,  shown  on  the  opposite  page.  The  mass  of  debris  seen  in  the 
foreground  of  the  picture  was  entirely  submerged  at  the  time  of  high 
water,  the  river  having  risen  22  feet  above  its  normal  stage  before 
the  Yukon  broke  and  allowed  the  flood  to  subside. 

In  laying  up  a  vessel  in  winter  quarters  care  must  be  taken  to  see 
that  the  bottom  of  the  river  over  which  it  is  purposed  to  lay  is  level 
and  free  from  any  obstructions;  otherwise  when  the  vessel  settles 
on  the  bottom  and  freezes  in,  the  hull  will  be  subjected  to  severe 
strains  and  most  likely  badly  injured  by  lying  in  this  position  through- 
out the  winter.  All  hogchains  and  iron  braces  of  every  kind  should 
be  slackened  to  avoid  having  them  broken  by  the  action  of  the  extreme 
cold  of  midwinter.  If  the  vessel  is  to  be  used  as  a  living  place  for  the 
crew  during  the  winter,  a  false  roof  made  of  board  lumber  should  be 
placed  in  position  over  the  hurricane  deck  as  an  additional  protection 
against  the  cold.  The  roof  need  not  be  air-tight.  In  fact,  it  was  found 
to  serve  its  purpose  more  satisfactorily  on  the  Nunvcak  when  small 
spaces  were  left  for  ventilation.  The  top  of  the  roof  should*  be  cov- 
ered with  builders'  paper,  and  this  in  turn  covered  with  a  thin  layer  of 
dirt,  to  prevent  snow  from  drifting  through  the  cracks.     The  heaviest 


139 

fall  of  snow  during  the  winter  occurs  in  October  and  November.  It 
should  not  be  allowed  to  accumulate  on  the  roof-,  as  the  heat  from  the 
interior  will  cause  it  to  melt  and  leak  into  the  quarters.  After  Novem- 
ber and  until  April  the  fall  of  snow  is  very^  light  and  gives  but  little 
trouble. 

All  of  the  approaches  to  the  living  quarters,  except  those  absolutely 
necessary  for  ingress  and  egress,  should  be  closed  up  and  covered  with 
canvas  so  as  to  exclude  the  air.  Sufficient  ventilation  can  be  secured 
by  opening  up  the  quarters  for  a  short  time  once  or  twice  a  day  and 
requiring  everybody  to  vacate  them  long  enough  for  the  air  to  be 
completely  purified.  In  addition  to  this  general  airing,  which  was  a 
part  of  the  daily  routine  on  board  the  JVunivak,  the  living  quarters  of 
the  vessel  were  all  supplied  with  stoves,  which  were  found  to  be 
admirably  adapted  to  the  purpose  of  securing  ventilation.  Even  when 
not  used  to  heat  the  vessel  the  drafts  could  be  so  arranged  as  to  carry 
off  the  vitiated  air,  and  in  this  way  they  were  of  great  assistance  in 
preserving  a  healthy  state  of  the  atmosphere. 

Before  the  ice  forms  around  the  vessel  the  lower  part  of  the  wheel 
and  the  rudders  should  be  removed,  both  to  prevent  injury  b}T  the  ice 
and  to  avoid  the  labor  of  cutting  them  free  in  the  spring.  It  is  very 
important  in  laying  up  a  vessel  that  arrangements  be  made  by  which 
a  good  supply  of  water  can  be  readily  obtained  for  general  use  on 
board  and  to  guard  against  the  danger  of  fire.  The  plan  adopted  on 
the  JVunivak,  and  which  proved  to  be  very  satisfactory  in  operation, 
was  to  sink  a  number  of  large  barrels,  through  the  sides  and  bottoms 
of  which  were  bored  holes,  close  alongside  the  vessel  and  allow  them 
to  freeze  in.  Each  barrel  was  supplied  with  a  small  steam  pipe  con- 
nected with  the  boiler,  and  by  means  of  these  a  constant  supply  of 
water  was  kept  ready  for  instant  use  throughout  the  winter.  The 
place  selected  for  winter  quarters  should  have  an  abundant  supply  of 
timber  from  which  fuel  for  winter  use  can  be  readily  obtained,  and  if 
practicable  it  should  be  in  the  vicinity  of  a  native  village,  in  order  that 
a  supply  of  fresh  moose  or  deer  meat  can  be  obtained  from  the  Indian 
hunters. 

The  following  places  on  the  river,  named  in  the  order  of  their  loca- 
tion from  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon  upstream,  have  been  used  as  winter 
quarters  at  different  times  by  vessels  plying  the  river:  A  lagoon 
entered  from  the  river  at  Fort  Hamilton,  Andreafski,  a  slough  oppo- 
site Russian  Mission,  Beaver  Creek,  a  slough  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Tozikakit  River,  Dall  River,  a  slough  near  Fort  Yukon,  a  slough  near 
Circle  City,  and  Stewart  River,  a  short  distance  from  Dawson.  There 
is  no  timber  from  which  fuel  can  be  obtained  either  at  Fort  Hamilton 
or  Andreafski,  and  vessels  wintering  at  these  places  must  cany  with 
them  a  supply  to  last  them  through  the  winter.  The  difficulties  of 
wintering  a  vessel  in  a  slough  have  already-  been  described  and,  taken 


140 

altogether,  it  is  probable  that  Dall  River  offers  the  safest  and  most 
desirable  place  for  winter  quarters  that  can  be  found  in  the  country. 
A  Government  vessel  intended  for  patrolling  the  Yukon  should  by 
all  means  winter  as  high  upstream  as  possible.  In  this  way  only  is  it 
possible  to  intercept  and  examine  all  of  the  vessels  engaged  in  traffic 
in  the  district.  As  has  been  previously  shown,  the  movement  of  ves- 
sels during  the  season  of  open  navigation  begins  on  the  upper  waters 
of  the  river  some  three  or  four  weeks  before  the  mouth  of  the  stream 
is  open  to  entrance  from  sea;  hence  vessels  engaged  in  illegal  traffic 
are  enabled  to  descend  the  river  from  Dawson  as  far  as  the  confluence 
of  the  Koyukuk  and  Tanana  rivers  and  many  other  less  important 
streams  with  the  Yukon  before  they  could  be  examined  by  a  vessel  of 
the  Government  service  which  would  be  compelled  to  reach  these 
points  by  coming  upstream.  Once  off  the  main  river  such  craft  would 
be  reasonably  safe  from  any  interference  or  examination  by  our  officers. 
Reference  will  be  made  to  this  matter  in  another  part  of  this  report. 

SETTLEMENTS    AND   TRADING    POSTS. 

Beginning  at  the  mouth,  of  the  river  and  extending  upstream  to  the 
limit  of  the  cruising  ground  of  the  Nunivak,  the  permanent  settle- 
ments on  the  station,  with  a  brief  description  of  the  same,  are  as 
follows: 

Kotlik,  a  small  trading  post  in  charge  of  an  old  Russian  trader 
named  Komkoff,  is  situated  7  miles  upstream  from  the  Aphoon  mouth 
of  the  Yukon.  This  station  is  not  on  the  immediate  banks  of  the 
steamboat  channel,  but  stands  a  short  distance  back  on  the  tundra  and 
can  be  reached  only  with  the  smaller  class  of  steamers  or  boats.  The 
goods  for  the  station  are  purchased  by  the  agent,  Mr.  Komkoff,  from 
the  Northern  Commercial  Company  at  St.  Michael  and  traded  to  the 
Eskimos  of  the  delta  region  in  exchange  for  their  fish  and  furs. 

Twenty  miles  above  Kotlik  is  New  Fort  Hamilton,  built  by  the  North 
American  Transportation  and  Trading  Company  more  as  a  depot  of 
supplies  than  a  trading  post.  There  are  at  this  place  a  large  ware- 
house and  store,  built  of  corrugated  iron,  but  neither  have  been 
occupied  recently. 

Pitkas  Point  is  a  native  settlement  of  Eskimo  fishermen  and  hunters 
situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Andreafski  River.  The  settlement  has  a 
population  of  about  75  Eskimos.  There  are  a  dozen  huts  made  of 
driftwood  covered  with  sods,  a  few  log  cabins,  a  small  chapel,  a  store, 
and  trader's  dwelling.  The  trader  is  a  half-breed  Russian,  named 
Pitka,  and  his  store  is  a  branch  of  the  Northern  Commercial  Com- 
pany's station  at  Andreafski.  Besides  fishing  and  hunting  for^a  living, 
the  native  population  at  Pitkas  Point  collect  driftwood  during  the 
spring  freshets  and  cut  it  up  into  cord  wood  for  sale  to  passing 
steamers.     They  appear  to  be  rather  more  energetic  than  most  of  the 


141 

natives,  probably  owing  to  the  influence  and  good  example  of  Pitka, 
who  is  a  man  of  considerable  intelligence  and  business  ability. 

Andreafski,  the  most  important  trading  post  on  the  lower  river,  is 
situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Andreafski  River,  about  2  miles 
from  its  junction  with  the  Yukon.  Here  are  located  the  various  ware- 
houses, stores,  and  dwellings  comprising  the  plant  of  the  Northern 
Commercial  Company,  the  successors  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany, which  previous  to  the  incorporation  of  the  new  company  had 
maintained  a  trading  post  here  ever  since  the  transfer  of  the  territory 
from  Russia  to  the  United  States.  A  mile  above  Andreafski,  on  the 
same  side  of  the  river,  is  situated  the  extensive  winter  quarters  of  the 
Northern  Commercial  Company.  There  Ls  a  good  machine  shop  at 
this  place  equipped  with  all  the  modern  appliances  for  making  ordinary 
repairs  to  the  machinery  of  the  river  boats,  a  large  hotel  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  officers  and  crews  of  vessels  laid  up  in  winter 
quarters,  and  a  good  electric  plant  to  furnish  light  for  the  buildings. 

Lumber  and  materials  for  the  construction  of  a  marine  railway  at 
this  place  have  been  laid  down  here,  and  it  is  expected  that  the  "ways" 
will  be  completed  and  ready  to  be  put  into  operation  by  the  begin- 
ning of  the  season  of  open  navigation  in  1902.  The  purpose  of  the 
company  in  building  the  "ways"  is  to  enable  it  to  haul  out  its 
vessels  instead  of  allowing  them  to  remain  afloat  all  winter,  as  has 
been  the  custom  heretofore.  By  this  means  a  much  smaller  force  of 
men  will  be  required  to  look  out  for  the  vessels  during  the  winter 
than  would  otherwise  be  necessary. 

Mr.  Fredericks,  the  agent  of  the  compam-  at  Andreafski,  has  been 
an  emplo}Tee  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  ever  since  the  sta- 
tion was  established,  and  is  well  known  throughout  the  Yukon  Valley 
as  a  man  of  sterling  integrity  and  great  ability  in  the  matter  of  trans- 
acting business  with  the  natives. 

Russian  mission  is  112  miles  above  Andreafski  on  the  right  bank  of 
the  Yukon,  and  from  the  river  it  presents  the  appearance  of  being  a 
compactly  built  little  town.  The  large  church  of  the  Russian  Greek 
mission  at  this  place  with  its  gaily  painted  minarets  and  towers  lends 
an  imposing  air  to  the  settlement  which,  however,  is  not  sustained  by 
a  closer  inspection.  At  the  mission  there  are  about  350  native  Eskimos, 
whose  log  houses  are  crowded  together  near  the  water's  edge,  and  they 
are  looked  out  for  and  advised  by  a  resident  priest  and  assistant  of 
the  Russian  Greek  Church. 

Mr.  Belkofl',  the  trader  at  this  place,  is  one  of  the  few  men  who 
were  in  the  country  at  the  time  of  the  transfer  of  the  Territory  to 
remain  and  take  an  active  part  in  the  organization  of  business  under 
the  new  conditions.  He  has  a  very  comfortable  home  and  a  family  of 
intelligent,  well-educated  children  and  is  always  most  hospitably 
inclined  toward  visitors  and  strangers. 


142 

Russian  mission  is  chiefl}7  interesting  as  being  the  site  of  the  oldest 
church  mission  on  the  river.  The  remains  of  some  of  the  old  native 
underground  houses  are  still  to  be  seen  side  b}7  side  with  the  more 
modern  habitations,  and  there  is  an  old  native  dance  house  or  kashim 
here  which  is  the  largest  structure  of  the  kind  in  the  country  and  is 
still  in  a  good  state  of  preservation.  The  round-shaped  doorwa}7, 
which  is  a  characteristic  feature  of  Eskimo  architecture,  is  still  to  be 
seen  in  the  native  houses,  but  it  is  not  common,  and  farther  upstream 
it  disappears  altogether,  being  replaced  by  the  square  frame  doorwaj7 
of  the  white  man. 

The  native  women  at  Russian  mission  make  a  very  fair  quality  of 
basket  from  the  grasses  which  are  found  in  this  region,  and  also  from 
the  twisted  fiber  of  the  inner  bark  of  the  spruce  trees.  It  is  somewhat 
remarkable  that  the  art  of  basketry  appears  to  be  unknown  or  to  have 
been  long  since  discontinued  among  the  natives  of  the  interior  farther 
up  the  river.  After  leaving  this  point  basket  weaving  by  the  natives 
is  not  again  seen.  The  men  cut  a  little  wood  for  sale  to  passing  steam- 
ers when  they  have  nothing  else  to  occup}7  their  time,  but  the  greater 
part  of  the  year  is  spent  by  them  in  the  more  congenial  labor  of  hunt- 
ing and  fishing.  The  finest  quality  of  red  foxes  and  minks  are  taken 
in  the  region  which  is  tributary  to  the  mission. 

Pimute  village  is  situated  38  miles  above  Russian  mission,  on  the 
same  side  of  the  river.  The  population  consists  entirely  of  natives 
and  numbers  about  50  souls.  It  is  a  typical  dirty,  evil-smelling 
Eskimo  fishing  village,  and  is  of  no  commercial  importance  whatever. 
The  natives  do  their  trading  at  the  Russian  mission  for  the  most  part, 
but  in  some  instances  the}7  travel  upstream  to  Koserefski  to  get  their 
supplies. 

Koserefski,  or  Holy  Cross  Mission,  is  28  miles  above  Pimute  vil- 
lage, and  its  situation  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Yukon  is  very  similar 
to  that  of  Russian  mission.  The  similarity  of  the  situation,  however, 
is  all  that  is  alike  in  the  two  places.  There  is  at  this  place  a  mission 
school  in  charge  of  Sisters  of  the  Catholic  Order  of  St.  Anne  for  the 
instruction  of  native  children.  The  pupils  are  instructed  in  the  fun- 
damental rudiments  of  an  English  education,  and  in  addition  to  their 
other  duties  the  girls  are  required  to  learn  how  to  sew,  cook,  and  take 
care  of  a  house  generally.  The  boys  are  taught  gardening  and  the 
use  of  simple  tools.  The  school  is  usually  very  well  attended  and 
the  pupils  seem  to  be  verj7  much  attached  to  their  teachers.  There 
is  an  excellent  garden  alwa}7s  maintained  at  Holy  Cross  by  the  sisters 
in  which  the  finest  vegetables  seen  on  the  river  are  raised.  Two  or 
three  cows  are  also  kept,  which  furnish  fresh  milk  for  the  school,  the 
only  place  in  the  district  where  this  article  can  be  obtained.  The  set- 
tlement has  a  resident  population  of  about  350  souls  and  a  very  much 
larger  population  of  natives  living  in  the  region  lying  between  the 


NATIVE   FISH  TRAPS  ON   THE  ANVIK   RIVER. 
The  town  of  Anvik  is  shown  in  the  background. 


143 

Yukon  and  Kuskokwim  rivers  make  this  their  headquarters  during 
the  trading  season  and  are  under  the  spirtual  charge  of  the  resident 
Catholic  priest,  Father  R.  J.  Crimont. 

The  natives  on  this  part  of  the  river  are  mostly  of  the  Ingalik  or 
Indian  tribes  of  the  interior,  and  are  far  superior  in  point  of  looks 
and  manner  of  living  to  the  coast  Eskimos  seen  farther  downstream. 
Their  houses  are  kept  in  much  better  condition  and  their  general 
appearance  shows  the  result  which  has  been  attained  here  by  the  per- 
sistent and  patient  instruction  of  the  good  priests  and  sisters  of  the 
mission. 

Anvik,  which  is  17  miles  from  Koserefski,  is  the  next  white  settle- 
ment to  be  seen  on  the  way  upstream.  It  is  situated  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Anvik  River  about  3  miles  from  the  junction  of  that  stream 
with  the  Yukon.  Here  is  located  an  Episcopalian  mission  under  the 
charge  of  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Chapman  and  a  school  for  the  instruction  of 
the  native  children  in  connection  with  the  mission  under  the  superin- 
tendence of  Miss  Bertha  W.  Sabine.  The  mission  was  founded  by 
the  Rev.  O.  Parker  in  the  year  1887,  and  called  Christ  Church  Mis- 
sion. Mr.  Parker  was  followed  by  Mr.  Chapman  shortly  after  the 
founding  of  the  mission,  and  succeeded  the  former  minister  as  super- 
intendent in  the  year  1889. 

The  native  children  are  taught  in  a  day  and  boarding  school.  In 
the  day  school  the  scholars  are  taught  the  rudiments  of  the  Christian 
religion  and  given  instruction  in  the  primary  branches  of  secular 
knowledge.  In  the  boarding  school  they  are  taught  in  addition  to  the 
above  housekeeping,  cooking,  sewing,  and  the  like. 

A  small  sawmill  owned  by  the  mission  furnishes  all  the  lumber  re- 
quired for  building  purposes,  and  as  it  is  operated  entirely  by  native 
labor  it  favors  the  instruction  of  the  boys  in  the  use  of  tools  and 
machinery.  The  native  arts  of  iishing  and  hunting  are  encouraged, 
and  under  the  advice  of  Mr.  Chapman  the  products  of  native  labor  in 
these  occupations  are  disposed  of  to  a  much  better  advantage  than  is 
the  case  of  natives  who  act  independently.  Most  of  the  work  of  caring 
for  the  mission  buildings,  garden,  etc.,  is  done  by  the  pupils  of  the 
school,  and  in  this  way  the  expense  of  maintainence  of  the  establish- 
ment is  materially  decreased.  The  annual  expense  of  caring  for  one 
scholar  in  the  boarding  school  is  about  $100. 

The  Anvik  River  heads  well  over  toward  the  coast  of  Norton  Sound, 
and  its  valley  furnishes  an  easy  means  of  winter  communication  by 
dog-team  travel  with  St.  Michael.  This  trail  is  frequently  used  by 
the  missionaries  and  traders  whose  stations  are  in  this  vicinity.  It 
was  by  this  route  that  the  Russian  explorer  Glasanof  first  reached  the 
Yukon  from  St.  Michael  in  the  year  1833.  At  the  time  of  his  visit  he 
found  a  large  Indian  village  at  the  present  site  of  Anvik. 

There  is  a  post-office  and  money-order  station  at  Anvik,  and  the 


144 

Northern  Commercial  Company  has  a  store  and  trading  station  on  the 
right  bank  of  Anvik  River  a  short  distance  below  the  village. 

The  Indians  living  on  the  Anvik  River  and  in  the  immediate  vicin- 
ity catch  large  quantities  of  salmon  during  the  fishing  season  and  dry 
them  for  winter  use.  In  the  height  of  the  season  the  nets  of  the 
natives  can  be  seen  for  miles  set  along  the  banks  of  the  stream,  and 
in  some  years  the  quantity  of  fish  taken  is  enormous.  Should  the  can- 
ning of  salmon  on  the  Yukon  ever  be  attempted  for  commercial  pur- 
poses Anvik  River  would  be  one  of  the  best  sites  in  the  country  for 
the  erection  of  a  cannery. 

The  water  of  the  Anvik  is  clear  and  sweet,  but  of  a  very  dark  red- 
dish-brown color.  This  is  no  doubt  caused  by  the  fact  that  it  comes 
from  the  moss-covered  plains  of  the  interior  country,  where  the  soil 
is  never  thawed  out  except  for  a  short  distance  from  the  surface,  and 
the  water  has  never  been  cleared  of  the  vegetable  coloring  matter  it 
contains  by  filtration.  An  analysis  of  the  water  showed  that  it  was 
free  from  any  deleterious  matter. 

Grey  ling,  which  is  next  passed  on  the  way  upstream,  is  22  miles 
above  Anvik  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Yukon.  There  is  at  this  place 
a  store  and  dwelling  occupied  by  Mr.  O'Shea,  who  maintains -one  of 
the  largest  independent  wood  yards  on  the  river  here.  There  are 
about  75  Indians  in  the  vicinity  who  are  employed  from  time  to  time 
by  Mr.  O'Shea  in  cutting  wood,  when  hunting  or  fishing  does  not 
occupy  their  attention.  There  are  half  a  dozen  white  wood  choppers 
also  employed  by  Mr.  O'Shea,  and  from  1,200  to  1,800  hundred  cords 
of  wood  are  annually  put  up  for  sale  to  passing  steamers. 

The  first  coal  mine  to  be  seen  on  the  Yukon  is  situated  90  miles 
above  Greyling  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river.  This  property  was 
developed  by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  and  a  considerable 
amount  of  coal  has  been  procured.  Several  comfortable  dwellings  for 
the  use  of  the  employees  of  the  company,  a  coal  bunker,  loading 
chutes,  etc. ,  have  been  built,  and  although  the  quality  of  the  coal  has 
not  as  yet  proved  to  be  very  satisfactory  for  use  as  fuel  for  the  steam- 
boats,the  work  of  development  is  still  going  on,  and  it  is  expected  that 
a  better  quality  of  coal  will  be  obtained  later  on. 

Kaltag,  54  miles  farther  upstream,  is  important  as  being  the  point 
on  the  river  where  is  situated  the  first  station  of  the  Government  tele- 
graph line,  which  is  intended  to  connect  St.  Michael  with  the  outside 
world.  The  line  is  already  in  operation  from  St.  Michael  across  the 
country  to  Kaltag  and  along  the  Yukon  as  far  upstream  as  Fort  Gib- 
bon, and  it  is  expected  that  it  will  be  completed  through  to  Fort 
Egbert  at  Eagle  by  the  spring  of  1902.  From  the  latter  place  a  line 
is  already  in  operation  which  connects  it  with  the  outside.      »* 

Kaltag  is  the  river  terminus  of  the  winter  sled  trail  which  connects 
the  Yukon  Valley  by  the  shortest  route  with  St.   Michael.     In  the 


I  i 


145 

early  days  of  the  Territory  the  Eskimos  of  the  coast  were  accustomed 
to  use  this  means  of  communication  between  their  settlements  on  the 
coast  of  Norton  Sound  and  the  settlements  of  the  river  natives  of  the 
interior  during  their  annual  trading  expeditions.  Kaltag  marks  the 
highest  point  on  the  Yukon  usually  reached  by  the  Eskimos  on  these 
trips.  From  this  point  they  either  returned  to  the  coast  over  the 
portage  or  proceeded  downstream  to  the  coast.  At  this  period  the 
natives  of  the  coast  and  the  interior  were  frequently  at  war,  but  since 
the  advent  of  the  whites  a  new  system  of  traffic  has  been  established 
which  effectually  separates  the  two  tribes  and  war  is  unknown. 

Nulato,  which  is  40  miles  above  Kaltag,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
river,  is  one  of  the  oldest  trading  posts  in  the  country.  Its  situation, 
some  10  or  15  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Koyukuk  River,  makes  it 
easy  of  access  to  the  natives  of  that  region,  who  have  been  accus- 
tomed since  the  early  days  of  occupancy  of  the  country  by  the 
Russians  to  make  the  place  a  sort  of  rendezvous,  where  each  year  the}7 
brought  their  furs  to  be  exchanged  for  ammunition  and  supplies. 
The  early  history  of  this  post  is  filled  with  accounts  of  bloody  con- 
flicts between  the  white  settlers  and  the  fierce  and  treacherous  Koyu- 
kuns.  In  the  year  1838  Malakoff,  an  officer  of  the  old  Russian 
trading  company,  ascended  the  Yukon  and  built  a  blockhouse  and 
stockade  near  the  site  of  the  present  settlement  of  Nulato,  but  it  was 
quickly  burned  while  he  was  absent  on  a  trip  to  St.  Michael,  and 
his  native  care-takers  were  foully  murdered  by  a  predatory  band  of 
Koyukuk  Indians.  Malakoff  never  returned,  but  his  place  was  taken 
by  Lieutenant  Zagoskin,  of  the  Russian  navy,  who  reached  this  point  in 
the  year  1842,  rebuilt  the  fort,  and  attempted  to  establish  friendly 
relations  with  the  natives.  Zagoskin  was  recalled  shortly  after  com- 
pleting the  new  post,  and  in  his  place  came  one  Dershavin,  who  under- 
took to  carry  on  the  work.  His  administration  of  affairs  was  marked 
by  many  acts  of  extreme  cruelty  to  the  natives,  and  in  the  year  1851 
the  ill  feeling  between  the  whites  and  Indians  culminated  in  the 
infamous  massacre  of  the  entire  garrison  b^v  the  Koyukuk  Indians 
under  the  leadership  of  the  notorious  Larriown,  a  medicine  man  of 
the  tribe,  who  lived  many  years  afterwards  to  boast  of  his  crime. 
Among  the  white  men  to  lose  his  life  on  this  occasion  was  Lieutenant 
Barnard,  of  the  English  navy,  who  had  been  sent  out  by  his  Govern- 
ment to  search  for  the  lost  Sir  John  Franklin.  A  portion  of  the  head- 
board marking  the  grave  of  this  officer  is  still  one  of  the  objects  of 
interest  in  connection  with  by-gone  days  that  are  to  be  seen  at  this 
place.  In  later  jrears  the  post  was  moved  2  miles  farther  upstream 
from  its  original  site  to  where  it  now  stands,  at  the  mouth  of  a  little 
tributary  of  the  Yukon  called  by  the  natives  Klat-kahatna,  or  "Stop 
abit"'  River.  It  was  at  this  place  that  Mr.  Robert  Kennicott,  the 
naturalist,  lost  his  life  as  a  result  of  disease  brought  on  by  exposure 

5661—03 22 


146 

and  hardships  incurred  in  the  prosecution  of  scientific  research.  His 
death  may  not  have  been  as  violent,  but  he  is  none  the  less  entitled  to 
be  remembered  as  a  martyr  to  duty  with  the  victims  of  the  earlier 
tragedies. 

Nulato  at  the  present  day  consists  of  a  well-built  collection  of  log 
houses,  stores,  and  warehouses,  a  Catholic  church  and  school,  under 
the  charge  of  Father  Ragaru,  a  Jesuit  priest,  and  several  sisters  of 
the  Order  of  St.  Anne.  Some  attempts  have  been  made  to  maintain 
vegetable  gardens  at  Nulato,  but  owing  to  the  lack  of  proper  drainage 
these  efforts  have  not  been  as  successful  as  at  other  more  favored 
places  on  the  river.  The  importance  of  Nulato  is  due  to  its  position 
as  a  trading  post.  It  is  still  the  annual  rendezvous  for  hundreds  of 
natives  from  the  Koyukuk  River  and  the  adjacent  regions,  who  come 
here  for  their  supplies.  Some  years  have  now  elapsed  since  they  have 
shown  any  signs  of  violence,  and  the  influence  of  Father  Ragura  has 
done  much  toward  taming  their  former  fierce  and  treacherous  natures. 
The  growing  population  of  whites  and  the  presence  of  law  officers  in 
the  country  has  also  contributed  to  render  them  less  liable  to  out- 
breaks, but  they  are  still  years  behind  the  natives  of  the  Yukon  in 
point  of  civilization.  They  will  probably  never  again  rise  against  the 
whites  in  any  organized  attempt  at  resistance,  but  sporadic  cases  of 
violence  will  doubtless  occur  from  time  to  time,  especially  if  they 
think  they  are  being  cheated  or  abused. 

One  of  the  interesting  features  of  Nulato  from  an  ethnological 
point  of  view  is  the  native  cemetery,  which  crowns  a  high  bluff  just 
above  the  village.  The  strange  combination  of  Christian  and  heathen 
emblems  placed  over  the  graves  form  a  striking  object  lesson  of  the 
social  progress  of  evolution  among  these  people.  In  the  photograph 
of  this  burial  place  it  will  be  seen  that  the  cross  is  a  prominent  feature 
over  all  the  graves.  But  side  by  side  with  the  cross,  emblems  of 
the  old  heathen  beliefs  hold  an  equally  prominent  position.  On  one 
of  the  crosses  a  mirror  has  been  nailed  to  ward  off  evil  spirits,  and  at 
the  base  of  another  a  glass-covered  box  contains  a  number  of  presents 
which  have  been  given  by  the  friends  of  the  dead  as  offerings  to  propi- 
tiate his  departed  spirit.  Still  another  grave  has  at  its  foot  a  cross  as 
a  symbol  of  the  influence  of  the  church,  while  at  the  head  is  a  larger 
piece  of  timber  surmounted  by  the  carved  figure  of  a  bear.  The  com- 
bination of  heathen  and  Christian  emblems  in  this  case  was  evidently 
intended  as  a  sort  of  compromise  by  the  friends  of  the  deceased. 

The  second  coal  mine  in  operation  on  the  river  as  we  ascend  is  situ- 
ated 12  miles  above  Nulato,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Yukon.  It  is 
owned  and  operated  by  Mr.  Frank  Pickarts.  The  coal,  like  that  found 
farther  down  the  river,  is  a  kind  of  lignite,  and  developmeafe  work  has 
not  yet  reached  the  point  where  it  can  be  said  with  certainty  that  it 
will  ever  be  used  as  a  satisfactory  substitute  for  wood  as  fuel.     The 


147 

owners  of  the  mine,  however,  are  hopeful  that  as  further  progress  is 
made  and  a  lower  level  is  reached  in  the  mine  the  coal  will  be  found 
to  be  of  better  quality. 

Six  miles  above  Pickarts's  mine  is  a  small  trading  station  operated 
by  the  Northern  Commercial  Company,  known  as  the  Koyukuk  Station. 
The  main  steamboat  channel  at  one  time  passed  directly  by  this  place, 
but  at  the  present  time  it  follows  a  right-hand  branch  of  the  river  some 
1  miles  farther  south  of  the  old  channel.  In  consequence  of  this 
change,  Koyukuk  Station  has  ceased  to  be  of  any  commercial  impor- 
tance. Should,  however,  the  Koyukuk  country  prove  to  contain  valu- 
able gold-bearing  ground,  this  station  may  yet  be  a  convenient  depot 
of  supplies  for  the  miners  in  that  region. 

The  Koyukuk  River  enters  the  Yukon  20  miles  above  Nulato  from 
the  north.  The  mouth  of  the  river  is  concealed  from  view  of  passing 
vessels  by  a  large  island,  but  its  location  can  be  determined  by  the 
position  of  a  large  rounded  hill  locally  known  as  Sopka  Mountain. 
There  is  a  small  settlement  of  Indians  near  the  mouth  of  the  Koyukuk, 
with  a  population  of  about  20  people. 

The  Melozikakit  River  enters  the  Yukon  60  miles  above  the  Koyu- 
kuk, and  just  above  the  junction  of  the  rivers  there  is  a  large  native 
fishing  village,  with  a  population  of  from  75  to  100.  The  winter  home 
of  these  people  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  a  slough  of  the  Yukon 
about  5  miles  from  the  summer  village.  This  place  is  a  favorite 
fishing  ground  of  the  Indians  during  the  summer,  and  large  quantities 
of  salmon  are  usually  caught  and  dried  for  winter  use. 

The  next  trading  post  to  be  seen  after  leaving  Koyukuk  Station  is 
at  Korkrines.  This  place  is  120  miles  from  the  Koyukuk  and  is  situ- 
ated on  the  right  bank  of  the  Yukon.  The  highest  mountains  along 
the  river  lie  to  the  north  of  Korkrines  and  form  the  watershed  between 
the  Yukon  and  the  Melozikakit  rivers.  A  winter  trail  leads  from  Kork- 
rines over  the  mountains  into  the  valley  of  the  Melozikakit  and  fur- 
nishes an  easy  means  of  communication  with  the  natives  of  that  region. 
Reports  of  gold-bearing  ground  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Melozi- 
kakit have  induced  several  parties  of  prospectors  recently  to  visit  this 
country,  and  I  have  been  informed  by  some  of  these  men  that  the 
trail  from  Korkrines  over  the  mountains  is  an  easy  one  and  practicable 
for  horses  at  any  season  of  the  year.  The  mouth  of  the  Melozikakit 
can  not  be  entered  by  vessels  drawing  over  a  foot  of  water,  and  for 
tnat  reason  its  waters  have  not  been  explored.  The  character  of  the 
country  which  it  drains  is  very  similar  in  formation  to  that  of  the 
gold-bearing  country  in  the  vicinity  of  Minook  Creek,  and  it  is  the 
general  opinion  of  practical  miners  who  are  familiar  with  both  local- 
ities that  the  upper  portion  of  the  Melozikakit  Valley  will  prove  to  be 
as  richly  mineralized  as  the  former  region.  If  this  surmise  should 
prove  to  be  correct,  Korkrines  Station  will  undoubtedly  become  one 


148 

of  the  most  important  depots  for  miners'  supplies  on  the  Lower  Yukon, 
as  it  is  the  most  convenient  place  on  the  river  from  which  to  ship  such 
supplies  into  the  Melozikakit  Valley. 

The  Tozikakit  River  joins  the  Yukon  125  miles  above  Korkrines  Sta- 
tion. Just  above  the  mouth  of  this  river  there  is  a  collection  of  log* 
houses  which  were  built  in  the  year  1898  as  winter  quarters  for  a  num- 
ber of  vessels  which  laid  up  here  during  the  closed  season.  The 
houses  have  since  been  abandoned,  but  could  be  made  habitable  with 
very  little  trouble  and  they  would  afford  good  shelter  in  case  of 
necessity. 

About  5  miles  above  this  point  is  the  original  site  of  St.  James 
Episcopalian  Mission.  Some  of  the  houses  are  still  standing,  but  the 
mission  has  been  removed  to  a  point  13  miles  farther  upstream,  as 
will  be  noted  later. 

Fort  Gibbon,  the  largest  army  post  on  the  river,  is  situated  on  the 
right  bank  10  miles  above  the  Tozikakit.  Here  a  number  of  commo- 
dious frame  buildings  have  been  erected  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
officers  and  men  forming  the  post.  There  is  a  good-sized  sawmill, 
blacksmith  and  machine  shops,  laundry,  stables,  warehouses,  and 
stores,  and  in  fact  all  the  accessories  which  go  to  make  up  a  well- 
ordered  town.  Gardens  have  been  started  in  which  all  the  hardier 
kinds  of  vegetables  are  planted,  underbrush  cleared  away,  plank  walks 
and  wagon  roads  constructed,  and  other  improvements  projected  b}7 
the  army  authorities  which  when  completed  will  transform  what  was 
at  one  time  a  bleak  bit  of  moorland  into  an  attractive  and  comfortable 
little  town. 

A  short  distance  beyond  the  limits  of  the  army  post  the  North 
American  Transportation  and  Trading  Company  has  a  trading  station 
called  Weare.  Here  there  is  a  large  and  well-suppiied  store,  ware- 
houses, and  agent's  dwelling.  The  Government  maintains  at  this 
place  a  post-office  and  money-order  station.  A  considerable  amount 
of  business  is  transacted  at  Weare  with  the  natives  of  the  Tanana 
River,  which  enters  the  Yukon  from  the  south  a  short  distance 
above  this  point,  and  also  with  prospectors  who  make  this  place  their 
point  of  departure  when  leaving  the  Yukon  for  the  Tanana  country. 

What  has  been  said  of  Weare  as  a  business  center  is  also  true 
of  Tanana  Station,  which  is  a  mile  farther  upstream  and  is  conducted 
by  the  Northern  Commercial  Company.  Tanana  is  on  the  site  of 
the  old  Indian  settlement  of  Nuklukyet,  and  has  for  years  been  the 
rendezvous  of  the  Tanana  River  Indians  who  came  here  to  meet  the 
traders  in  the  spring  every  year.  The  natives  of  the  Tozikakit  Val- 
ley also  make  this  their  headquarters  during  the  trading  season,  and 
at  its  height  there  are  sometimes  assembled  in  the  vicinity  the^  largest 
number  of  natives  to  be  seen  at  one  time  on  the  river. 

St.  James  Mission,  which  is  conducted  under  the  auspices  of  the 


149 

Episcopalian  Church,  is  situated  3  miles  above  Tanana  Station  on  the 
same  side  of  the  river.  The  mission  is  directly  in  charge  of  Mr. 
Selden,  a  lay  minister  of  the  church,  but  is  frequently  visited  by  the 
bishop  of  the  diocese,  the  Right  Rev.  P.  T.  Rowe,  whose  influence 
over  the  Indians  is  very  great  and  beneficial.  Through  his  efforts 
the  Indians  have  been  induced  to  make  their  summer  camp  near 
the  mission  instead  of  around  the  trading  posts,  and  in  this  way 
they  are  in  a  measure  shielded  from  the  temptations  which  are  thrown 
in  their  way  by  a  certain  class  of  unscrupulous  white  men  who  are 
engaged  in  selling  liquor  in  the  vicinity  of  the  army  post,  and  who  do 
not  hesitate  to  trade  it  to  the  Indians  if  they  can  do  so  without 
detection. 

The  new  church  at  St.  James  Mission  is  beautifully  situated  in  the 
midst  of  a  cluster  of  spruce  and  birch  trees,  and  is  a  credit  to  all  who 
have  contributed  bjT  their  labor  to  bring  it  to  completion.  Through 
the  picturesque  lower  ramparts,  75  miles  brings  us  to  the  mining 
camp  of  Rampart.  This  town  is  the  most  important  white  settlement 
on  the  lower  river,  and  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Yukon  just 
below  the  junction  of  Minook  Creek  with  the  main  stream. 

Rampart  is  a  typical  mining  camp,  and  owes  its  existence  to  the 
discovery  of  some  very  rich  deposits  of  gold  on  the  creeks  which  take 
their  rise  in  the  mountains  in  the  near  vicinity.  The  richest  of  these 
placer  diggings  have  been  found  on  Little  Minook,  Hunter,  Alder, 
and  Big  Minook  creeks,  all  of  which  are  within  easy  reach  by  trail 
from  the  town. 

All  of  the  trading  companies  and  a  number  of  independent  concerns 
have  stores  at  Rampart,  where  almost  every  article  likely  to  be 
required  b\r  a  person  living  in  the  country  can  be  procured.  Besides 
the  regular  trading  stores,  there  are  an  ample  number  of  saloons, 
restaurants,  boarding  houses,  drug  stores,  and  the  miscellaneous  catch- 
penny concerns  usually  found  in  such  communities. 

Rampart  boasts  a  weekly  newspaper  which  is  edited  with  consider- 
able ability,  a  church  and  hospital  supported  by  the  Episcopalian 
board  of  missions,  a  post-office  and  money-order  station,  and  -a  jail. 
Law  and  order  is  represented  by  a  commissioner  and  deputy  marshal 
of  the  circuit  court  of  Alaska,  and  there  is  a  small  detachment  of 
soldiers  in  charge  of  an  officer  of  the  United  States  Arra\T  stationed 
here  to  assist  the  civil  authority  to  preserve  order  in  case  of  necessity. 
At  one  time  the  town  had  a  population  of  about  2,000,  but  the  extent 
of  territory  in  which  valuable  gold-bearing  ground  has  been  located 
is  limited,  and  at  the  present  time  many  of  the  early  settlers  have  left 
the  place  to  search  for  gold  in  some  other  more  promising  field.  At 
the  present  time  there  not  over  400  persons  who  make  this  their  home. 

Good  trails  lead  from  Rampart  over  the  mountains  in  nearly  every 
direction,  and  constant  new  discoveries  of  gold  are  being  made  or 


150 

reported.  There  seems  no  good  reason  to  think  that  the  town  will  not 
continue  for  some  years  at  least  to  be  the  distributing  point  of  sup- 
plies for  the  country  of  which  it  is  the  geographical  center.  The 
Pioneer  coal  mine,  25  miles  above  Rampart,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Yukon,  is  the  third  place  on  the  river  passed  on  the  way  upstream 
where  coal  is  being  mined  for  sale.  So  far  this  mine  has  produced 
some  of  the  best  coal  found  on  the  lower  river.  A  shaft  has  been 
sunk  75  feet  deep,  and  from  500  to  600  tons  have  been  taken  out. 

Fort  Hamlin,  a  trading  post  operated  by  the  Northern  Commercial 
Company,  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Yukon,  65  miles  above  the 
coal  mine.  It  consists  of  two  good-sized  log  warehouses  and  a  dwell- 
ing for  the  agent.  Besides  the  buildings  of  the  company  there  are 
several  neat  log  houses  occupied  by  three  or  four  families  of  Indians, 
a  road  house  for  the  accommodation  of  passing  travelers,  and  a  mail 
station  for  use  of  the  mail  carrier  during  the  winter. 

Fort  Hamlin  is  the  last  trading  station  to  be  seen  on  the  lower  river. 
Above  this  point  the  Yukon  Flats  begin,  and  there  is  no  other  store 
until  Fort  Yukon  is  reached.  The  station  owes  its  importance  to  the 
fact  that  it  is  the  most  convenient  place  for  the  purchase  of  supplies 
by  miners  bound  into  the  Koyukuk  country  over  the  Dall  River  trail. 
It  has  also  had  a  considerable  trade  with  the  natives  living  in  the 
vicinity  previous  to  the  building  up  of  Rampart.  The  advent  of  the 
whites  at  that  place  caused  a  considerable  number  of  the  Indians  to 
change  their  place  of  abode  so  as  to  be  more  in  touch  with  the  white 
population,  and  for  this  reason  Fort  Hamlin  is  not  as  nourishing  as  it 
was  in  former  days. 

A  short  distance  above  Fort  Hamlin  the  river  is  divided  into  two 
channels  by  a  large  island,  the  right-hand  channel  being  the  one  usu- 
ally taken  by  steamboats  bound  up  the  river,  while  the  left  branch  leads 
directly  to  the  mouth  of  Dall  River,  in  which  stream,  at  a  distance  of  a 
mile  from  its  mouth,  is  situated  Fort  Shoemaker,  the  winter  quarters 
of  the  JVunivak  and  the  termination  of  our  cruising  ground. 

For  a  more  complete  itinerary  of  the  station  showing  the  location 
and  distance  apart  of  the  settlements  on  the  river  see  appendix. 

MERCHANDISE   AND   TRADING   GOODS. 

From  what  has  already  been  written  in  regard  to  the  products  of  the 
interior  of  Alaska,  it  will  be  seen  that  nearly  everything  necessary  for 
life  must  be  brought  into  the  country  by  the  prospective  settler  or 
else  purchased  from  the  trading  companies  on  the  ground.  Generally 
speaking,  it  may'  be  said  that  persons  whose  occupations  will  be  such 
as  to  permit  of  a  permanent  habitation  will  find  it  cheaper  and  more 
satisfactory  to  purchase  supplies  on  the  outside  and  ship  them  to  their 
destination  by  some  of  the  transportation  companies.  But  in  the  case 
of  prospectors,  whose  movements  are  likely  to  be  uncertain,  it  will 


%fc 


INDIAN  CACHES  AT  FORT  HAMLIN. 


151 

probably  not  be  advisable  to  bring  in  a  large  amount  of  food  sup- 
plies, as  the  labor  and  expense  of  caring  for  them  would  amount  to 
more  than  the  extra  cost  of  the  articles  when  purchased  from  the 
stores  on  the  inside.  Until  a  paj'ing  claim  is  located,  the  prospector 
will  find  it  greatly  to  his  advantage  to  be  ready  to  travel  as  quickly 
and  with  as  little  impediment  as  possible.  With  a  supply  of  cash  on 
hand,  it  will  be  found  that  almost  any  article  which  may  be  required 
can  be  purchased  from  the  trading  companies.  The  prices  asked  for 
the  ordinal  necessities  of  life  by  the  companies  are  not  exorbitant 
when  the  long  distance  of  transportation  and  the  enormous  expense 
entailed  in  handling  the  goods  are  considered,  and  the  cost  of  living  in 
the  country  is  not  excessive.  Small  articles  of  personal  comfort  or 
convenience  and  the  luxuries  of  life  are  comparatively  much  higher, 
and  it  will  be  wise  for  the  new  comer  to  provide  himself  with  these 
articles  before  leaving  the  States. 

Subjoined  is  a  list  of  articles  of  food  and  clothing  which  experience 
has  proved  to  be  all  that  will  be  actually  needed  by  one  person  for  a 
year. 

The  prices  of  the  same  are  those  quoted  by  the  trading  companies 
at  Circle  Cit}^,  and  may  be  taken  as  the  average  cost  of  similar  articles 
at  any  of  the  stores  in  the  Yukon  Valley  previous  to  the  year  1901. 
The  merger  of  the  companies  which  was  effected  in  that  year  will  most 
probably  tend  to  reduce  the  cost  of  all  these  articles  very  materially 
in  the  future;  at  least,  that  is  the  intention  and  expectation  of  the 
managers  of  the  new  combination  of  the  companies. 

One  year's  outfit  for  one  person  in  Alaska. 

400  pounds  flour $40.  00 

80  pounds  beans 10. 00 

25  pounds  peas 6. 25 

25  pounds  rolled  oats 6. 25 

25  pounds  germea , 6. 25 

20  pounds  corn  meal 4. 00 

1  case  condensed  milk,  4  dozen  1-pound  cans 18.  00 

1  case  cabbage  or  sauerkraut 12. 00 

1  case  roast  beef,  1  dozen  2-pound  cans 9. 00 

1  case  corned  beef,  1  dozen  2-pound  cans 9. 00 

1  case  sausage  meat,  2  dozen  2-pound  cans 16.  00 

1  case  turkey,  2  dozen  2-pound  cans 12.  00 

1  case  tomatoes,  2  dozen  2J-pound  cans 10.  00 

1  case  string  beans,  2  dozen  2-pound  cans 10.  00 

75  pounds  bacon 22.  00 

50  pounds  ham 15.  00 

25  pounds  dried  apples 6.  25 

25  pounds  dried  prunes 6.  25 

25  pounds  dried  peaches 7. 50 

25  pounds  dried  apricots 8.  75 

25  pounds  raisins 6. 25 

100  pounds  granulated  sugar 25. 00 


152 

1  keg  (5  gallons)  pickles $5.  00 

5  gallons  sirup 12.  00 

25  pounds  evaporated  potatoes 12.  00 

15  pounds  cheese 7.  50 

20  pounds  coffee 10.  00 

5  pounds  black  tea 6.  25 

5  pounds  cocoa 5.  00 

6  bottles  Worcestershire  sauce 4.  50 

30  pounds  lard 9.  00 

30  pounds  butter 15.  00 

12  pounds  macaroni 2.  00 

12  pounds  mince-meat 12.  00 

1  case  baking  powder,  2  dozen  half-pound  cans 12.  00 

15  pounds  salt 1-50 

1  dozen  bars  washing  soap 2.  00 

1  dozen  cakes  toilet  soap 1.  00 

10  gallons  coal  oil 10.  00 

4  boxes  candles 24.  00 

1  lamp 1. 50 

4  lamp  chimneys - 1-00 

4  pairs  moose-hide  moccasins 6.  00 

2  pairs  native  water  boots 6.  00 

2  pairs  moose-hide  mitts 6.  00 

1  fur  cap 5.  00 

1  pair  snowshoes 8.  00 

1  hand  sled 7.  00 

1  drill  parkie  hood,  fur  trimmed 4. 00 

1  Yukon  stove 10.  00 

1  set  cooking  utensils 5.  00 

1  wash  basin 1. 00 

6  towels 3. 00 

Contingent  expenses 19.  50 

Total 500.00 

The  above  list  does  not  include  the  ordinary  outfit  of  clothing,  medicines,  tools, 
rubber  boots,  blankets,  arms,  and  ammunition,  etc.,  which  a  man  would  naturally 
require  in  any  locality.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  ordinary  clothing  worn 
in  any  of  our  Northern  States  suffices  for  Alaska.  A  fur  coat  is  a  luxury  and  not  a 
necessity.  For  traveling  a  fur  robe  is  indispensable,  but  can  be  purchased  outside  to 
better  advantage  than  in  the  country. 

The  total  weight  of  a  year's  outfit  of  food  and  clothing  will  approxi- 
mate 1  ton.  Should  the  intending  settler  decide  to  purchase  his  sup- 
plies on  the  outside,  the  original  cost  of  the  same  will  be  from  250 
to  500  per  cent  less  than  the  companies'  prices;  but  the  cost  of  trans- 
portation will  amount  to  1117  per  ton  to  land  them  at  Circle  City, 
which  is  situated  in  the  center  of  the  mining  country,  adjoining  the 
boundary  line;  $91  per  ton  if  landed  at  Rampart,  the  center  of  mining 
operations  on  the  lower  river,  or  $125  per  ton  to  land  them  at  Berg- 
man, the  point  on  the  Koyukuk  River  nearest  the  diggings*  in  that 
region.  Even  with  this  high  rate  of  transportation,  it  will  be  seen  that 
it  would  be  a  saving  of  money  for  the  settler  to  bring  all  of  his  sup- 


153 

piies  with  him,  if  he  will  be  able  to  take  care  of  them  after  reaching 
his  first  point  of  destination.  But  nine  out  of  ten  men  who  come  into 
the  country  have  no  settled  place  of  habitation,  and  the  very  nature  of 
a  prospector's  vocation  makes  it  necessary  for  him  to  be  constantly 
moving  from  place  to  place  until  a  paying  location  is  discovered. 
Under  these  circumstances,  as  has  been  already  stated,  it  will  be  more 
advisable  for  him  to  bring  into  the  country  only  his  clothing  and  such 
articles  of  personal  convenience  a*  he  may  require,  and  purchase  his 
other  supplies  from  the  stores  in  quantities  as  needed. 

The  class  of  merchandise  carried  by  all  the  companies  in  their  stores 
is  the  same  as  that  usually  found  in  a  "general  store"  in  the  States. 
The  quality  of  the  goods,  especially  in  the  line  of  food  supplies,  is  the 
the  best  that  can  be  obtained,  and  the  selection  of  the  various  articles 
is  made  by  men  whose  long  experience  in  the  field  renders  them 
expert  in  the  matter  of  placing  on  the  market  only  such  articles  as 
will  best  meet  the  requirements  of  life  in  the  country. 

To  a  very  large  extent,  business  with  the  Indians  is  conducted  on  the 
basis  of  barter  and  exchange.  While  it  is  true  that  the  natives  are 
rapidly  learning  the  use  of  money,  and  almost  invariably  demand  a 
cash  price  for  their  furs,  game,  and  special  articles  of  domestic  manu- 
facture, it  is  equally  true  that  when  dealing  with  the  traders  they  sel- 
dom receive  full  payment  in  money  for  their  goods.  If  an  Indian  has, 
for  example,  a  bearskin  which  he  wishes  to  sell,  he  takes  it  to  the 
trader  and  states  the  price  for  which  he  will  dispose  of  it.  Let  it  be 
assumed  that  this  price  is  $10.  The  trader  agrees  to  the  price,  takes 
the  skin,  and  then  asks  the  seller  "what  he  will  have."  A  list  of 
articles  in  trade  goods  is  soon  made  up,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
trader,  and  when  it  is  filled  there  is  seldom  any  change  coming  to  the 
Indian  from  his  $10.  This  method  of  trading  satisfies  the  native's 
growing  desire  to  transact  business  on  a  cash  basis,  and  at  the  same 
time,  by  placing  a  fictitious  money  value  on  the  product  of  the  Indian's 
labor,  effectually  prevents  the  purchase  of  his  goods  by  outsiders  for 
cash.  This  system  may  at  first  sight  appear  likely  to  work  a  hardship 
to  the  white  settler.  But  in  the  present  condition  of  the  country  it 
is  better  for  the  Indian  that  all  his  trading  should  be  done  with 
responsible  firms,  whose  interests  are  common  with  his  own,  than  to 
have  him  made  the  victim  of  unscrupulous  and  irresponsible  persons 
who  have  no  such  interest  in  his  welfare  and  prosperity.  The  law 
forbidding  the  sale  of  liquor  to  the  Indians  has  always  been  strictly 
observed  by  the  large  companies,  but  it  is  feared  that  others  who  have 
attempted  to  enter  into  this  traffic  have  not  been  actuated  b}^  the  same 
conscientious  scruples.  This  subject  will  be  touched  upon  in  another 
part  of  this  report. 

The  articles  of  trade  most  in  demand  with  the  Indians  are  the  staple 
groceries,  particularly  flour,  tea,  sugar,  lard,  baking  powder,  and 
5661—03 23 


154 

bacon;  calico,  drilling,  cheap  clothing,  shoes,  hats,  and  stockings. 
Around  the  white  settlements  the  taste  for  bright-hued  underskirts 
for  the  women,  shirts  and  neckties  for  the  men,  and  any  kind  of  cheap 
jewelry  for  both  sexes  is  rapidly  on  the  increase.  Nearly  every  buck 
purchases  a  watch  as  soon  as  he  can  do  so,  and  all  of  the  men  are  pro- 
vided with  rifles  and  shotguns.  Scissors,  needles,  and  thread  find  a 
ready  sale  with  the  women,  but,  strange  to  say,  they  do  not  take  kindly 
to  pins,  except  the  kind  known  as  u  safety  pins."  In  the  spring,  at  the 
beginning  of  the  fishing  season,  there  is  always  a  demand  for  twine 
for  the  manufacture  of  their  nets,  and  mosquito  netting  and  straw 
hats  are  among  the  novelties  which  are  growing  in  favor.  Among  the 
better  educated  class  of  native  women,  those  Tvho  have  been  under 
instruction  at  the  missions,  dark-hued  fabrics  only  are  used  for  clothing. 
The  gaudy-colored  garments  which  usually  attract  the  savage  eye  can 
only  be  sold  to  natives  living  at  a  distance  from  the  white  settlements 
on  the  Yukon.  Beads  of  the  smallest  and  finest  quality  for  embroidery 
command  a  high  price,  but  the  larger  kind,  which  are  preferred  by  the 
Eskimos  of  the  coast,  are  not  salable  on  the  Yukon.  Tobacco  is  used 
by  both  sexes,  that  kind  known  to  the  trade  as  "Indian  leaf"  being 
perhaps  the  most  generally  used. 

In  exchange  for  these  articles  the  Indian  men  offer  for  sale  the  fresh 
meat  of  the  moose,  caribou,  bear,  and  deer;  grouse,  ptarmigan,  and 
the  various  kinds  of  fish  found  in  the  region.  They  also  make  snow- 
shoes,  sleds,  toboggans,  and  birch-bark  canoes,  but,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  snowshoes,  all  these  articles  are  now  manufactured  better 
on  the  outside  and  sold  by  the  companies.  The  women  make  moose- 
hide  moccasins,  gloves,  and  mittens,  tastefully  decorated  with  beads; 
fur  caps  and  socks,  and  a  variety  of  small  articles,  such  as  purses, 
watch  fobs,  etc. ,  which  are  also  decorated  with  beads,  but  are  valuable 
only  as  curios.  The  art  of  woven  basketry  is  not  pursued  by  these 
people,  and  would  furnish  them  a  remunerative  means  of  earning  a 
living  if  it  could  be  learned. 


CHAPTER  III. 


WINTER  TRAVEL. 


DURATION. 


Winter  travel  begins  on  the  river  as  soon  after  the  close  of  steam- 
boat navigation  as  the  ice  is  sufficiently  strong  to  bear  the  weight  of 
a  sled,  and  lasts  until  the  warm  weather  of  spring  makes  the  trails 
impassable.  It  frequently  happens  both  at  the  beginning  and  ending 
of  winter  that  there  is  a  period  of  time  varying  as  to  length  from  two 
to  three  weeks,  when  all  travel  is  practically  suspended.  The  condi- 
tions which  cause  this  cessation  of  movement  will  be  explained  later. 
In  general  it  may  be  stated  that  winter  travel  on  the  river  trails  begins 
about  the  middle  of  October  and  ends  by  the  1st  of  May. 

The  overland  trails  into  the  interior  are  not  lit  for  travel  until  the 
ground  is  well  covered  by  snow,  which  is  usually  some  two  or  three 
weeks  after  the  river  is  frozen  over,  and  by  the  middle  of  April  these 
trails  are  in  such  bad  condition,  owing  to  the  rapidly  melting  snow, 
that  progress  by  sled  is  very  difficult,  and  only  short  trips  are  under- 
taken except  in  cases  of  extreme  necessity. 

AMOUNT    OF   TRAVEL. 

Under  ordinary  circumstances  one  may  spend  weeks  on  the  trails 
awa}7  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  river  without  encountering  a 
single  human  being  outside  of  one's  own  party.  An  occasional  party 
of  Indians  ma}T  be  seen  on  their  wa}T  to  their  hunting  grounds  after 
the  Christmas  holidays,  or  returning  to  the  river  with  moose  meat  for 
sale  at  the  settlements,  or  a  wandering  prospector  may  be  encountered 
on  his  way  in  for  supplies  after  spending  the  summer  on  some  interior 
creek.  But  as  a  usual  thing,  after  the  main  trail  which  follows  the 
Yukon  is  left  by  the  traveler,  he  can  not  expect  to  see  many  strange 
faces.  Even  on  the  main  trail  travel  is  very  light  during  the  greater 
portion  of  the  winter.  With  the  exception  of  the  mail  carriers,  who 
pass  up  and  down  the  river  once  a  week,  there  are  no  regular  travelers. 
Occasionally  a  wood  agent  of  one  of  the  trading  companies  on  his 
annual  tour  of  inspection,  an  officer  of  the  court  bound  on  some  errand 

155 


156 

of  the  law,  a  party  of  Government  officials  on  a  reconnoissance,  or  a 
special  courier  from  some  far-away  mining  camp  on  his  way  to  the 
outside  with  the  news  of  some  important  "strike,"  passes  along  the 
trail,  stops  long  enough  at  the  different  places  of  call  to  exchange 
items  of  news  and  then  trudges  on  again  and  is  lost  to  view  in  the 
midst  of  the  dreary  expanse  of  ice-covered  river.  At  times  informa- 
tion of  rich  discoveries  of  gold  which  have  been  made  in  new  fields 
causes  a  stampede  to  take  place  from  the  settlements,  and  until  the 
excitement  subsides  the  trail  may  take  on  the  appearance  of  a  busy 
highway.  During  the  great  stampede  to  Nome,  which  took  place 
during  the  winter  of  1900,  the  Yukon  River  trail  from  January  15  to 
April  1  was  the  road  over  which  thousands  of  eager  gold  seekers  made 
their  way  to  the  newly  discovered  diggings.  There  was  at  this  period 
an  almost  continuous  line  of  travelers,  with  their  dog  teams  and  loaded 
sleds  stretching  from  Dawson  to  the  sea.  The  constant  passing  of  the 
sleds  wore  the  surface  of  the  trail  down  as  level  as  a  table;  there  were 
frequent  brushes  between  rival  teams  for  the  right  of  way;  the  road 
houses  at  night  were  crowded  with  a  clamorous  throng  of  adventurers 
of  both  sexes  from  all  over  the  world,  and  the  hungry  bands  of  dogs 
howled  and  fought  outside  throughout  the  night.  These  were  busy 
days  and  restless  nights  on  the  trail,  and  while  the}7  lasted  were  full 
of  interest  to  the  onlooker.  But  as  a  usual  thing  the  sight  of  a  soli- 
tary traveler  winding  his  way  through  the  fields  of  ice  hummocks  and 
followed  by  his  team  of  steaming  dogs,  looking  like  a  procession  of 
black  ants  crawling  slowly  over  the  white  surface  of  the  river,  is  an 
event  of  sufficient  importance  to  attract  the  attention  of  every  unem- 
ployed person  in  a  settlement.  The  cry  uthat  some  one  is  coming" 
never  fails  to  cause  a  crowd  of  interested  spectators  to  gather  at  the 
point  where  the  newcomer  must  stop  to  communicate,  and  excitement 
runs  high  until,  with  much  barking  of  dogs  and  jingling  of  sleigh 
bells  and  cries  of  the  driver  to  his  team,  the  outfit  finally  pulls  into 
camp  and  the  identity  of  the  traveler  is  revealed. 

MEANS  EMPLOYED  IN  WINTER  TRAVEL. 

Up  to  the  present  time  dogs  and  sleds  furnish  the  only  means  of 
transportation  throughout  the  interior  of  Alaska  during  the  winter 
season.  At  some  of  the  settlements,  and  to  a  very  limited  extent  on 
well-made  trails,  horses  have  been  employed  in  packing  goods  and  in 
the  various  kinds  of  work  in  which  the  services  of  draft  animals  are 
required,  but  it  can  not  be  said  their  use  for  ordinary  purposes  of 
transportation  has  been  altogether  successful  as  yet.  With  the  build- 
ing of  wagon  roads  throughout  the  country  will  come,  no  doubt,  the 
opportunity  to  use  horses  and  mules,  and  as  experiments  have  already 
proved  that  they  can  be  safely  wintered  in  the  countiy,  it  is  only  the 
lack  of  good  roads  which  prevents  their  general  use. 


157 

Other  things  being  equal,  the  relative  cost  of  maintaining  dogs  and 
horses  or  mules  is  probably  in  favor  of  the  latter.  In  this  connection 
due  weight  must  be  given  to  the  fact  that  with  good  roads  horses  can 
be  used  throughout  the  year,  whereas  the  use  of  dogs  and  sleds  is 
necessarily  confined  to  the  winter  season. 

The  following  facts  in  connection  with  dogs  and  their  use  as  draft 
animals  have  been  collected  from  observation  of  the  work  and  behavior 
of  some  50  or  60  dogs  which  from  time  to  time  formed  part  of  the 
equipment  of  the  Nunivak  and  from  information  obtained  from  all 
other  available  sources  during  our  sojourn  in  the  country: 

The  best  dogs  for  use  in  the  country  are  undoubtedly  those  bred 
from  the  native  stock  found  in  possession  of  the  Eskimos  on  the  coast. 
There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  but  that  these  animals  are  the  direct 
descendants  of  the  wolf,  which  is  common  throughout  the  region,  and 
indeed  their  resemblance  to  that  animal  is  so  strong  that  little  room 
for  conjecture  as  to  their  origin  is  left.  In  color  the  Eskimo  dog 
varies  from  a  perfect  white  or  dusky  gray  to  black.  The  hair  is  long 
and  rather  coarse  and  in  a  healthy  animal  stands  well  off  from  the  body, 
and  the  hide  is  covered  with  a  heavy  but  not  dense  underfur.  The 
head  is  small,  nose  pointed,  eyes  large  and  intelligent  in  expression, 
legs  rather  long  and  well  muscled,  and  the  neck  and  shoulders  exceed- 
ingly well  developed.  A  good  dog  for  team  work  should  be  short  in 
the  barrel,  lean  in  the  flank,  and  carry  his  tail  high  when  in  action. 
The  feet  should  be  large  and  well  padded  and  free  from  an  overabun- 
dance of  hair  growing  between  the  toes.  The  weight  of  a  good  dog 
averages  about  60  to  70  pounds,  but  mere  weight  is  of  secondary 
importance  in  judging  the  value  of  an  animal,  as  many  light-weight 
dogs  do  better  and  more  satisfactory  work  than  others  that  may  be 
twice  as  heavy. 

The  introduction  of  dogs  of  all  kinds  from  the  outside  by  people 
recently  coming  into  the  country  has  done  much  to  lower  the  stand- 
ard of  the  native  animal  by  allowing  them  to  interbreed.  It  is 
claimed,  not  without  good  reason,  that  the  dog  of  mixed  parentage  is 
more  liable  to  be  vicious,  has  less  endurance,  and  is  more  subject  to 
disease  than  the  pure-bred  native  animal.  For  these  reasons  the 
Eskimo  or  Mahlemute  dogs  as  a  general  thing  command  the  highest 
price.  The  cost  of  dogs  varies  with  the  seasons.  In  the  spring,  after 
winter  travel  is  over,  good  working  dogs  can  be  purchased  for  from 
$20  to  $30.  Young  untrained  dogs,  which  will  be  ready  for  sled  work 
by  fall,  can  be  had  for  from  $10  to  $20.  These  prices  advance  rapidly 
after  winter  travel  begins,  and  by  Christmas  a  fairly  good  working  dog 
will  cost  from  $50  to  $75,  and  any  stringency  in  the  local  market  will 
send  the  price  up  to  §100,  and  even  $125  is  not  considered  an  extraor- 
dinary price  to  ask  for  a  really  first-class  animal.  In  the  composition 
of  a  team  there  should  be  a  least  one  dog  trained  to  act  as  a  "leader," 


158 

and  the  strongest  and  most  reliable  animal  is  usually  placed  next  to 
the  sled  to  act  as  a  "wheeler."  All  the  dogs  in  a  team  should  be  as 
nearly  of  a  size  as  possible,  as  the  speed  and  endurance  of  a  team  will 
depend  upon  the  weakest  member.  A  good  leader  will  pick  out  the 
trail  even  though  it  may  be  covered  with  snow  and  will  obey  signals 
of  direction  given  him  by  the  driver  from  the  sled,  but  dogs  which  are 
not  thoroughly  broken  to  act  as  leaders  will  not  do  satisfactory  work 
unless  some  one  runs  ahead  to  point  out  the  trail.  An  animal  trained 
to  obey  signals  is  called  a  "gee"  and  "haw"  dog,  these  being  the 
terms  adopted  to  indicate  the  direction,  either  right  or  left,  which  it 
may  be  desired  to  go.  One  of  the  most  important  things  a  team 
should  be  taught  is  to  stop  at  the  command  of  the  driver.  Serious  and 
even  fatal  accidents  have  happened  to  men  alone  on  the  trail  by  having 
their  team  run  off  and  leave  them  without  means  of  reaching  shelter. 
In  most  of  these  cases  the  animals  simply  followed  the  leader,  and  never 
having  been  properly  trained,  paid  no  attention  to  the  command 
uwhoa"  given  by  the  driver,  who  may  have  accidentally  fallen  off  his 
sled  and  have  been  too  tired  to  catch  up  with  the  running  dogs.  The 
word  in  universal  use  throughout  the  country  to  start  the  dogs  in 
motion  is  "mush,"  evidently  a  corruption  of  the  French  verb  "marcher" 
to  march  or  walk,  and  has  been  obtained  from  the  old  Hudson  Bay 
voyageurs.  In  Alaska  the  term  "to  mush"  means  to  travel  and  a 
"musher"is  a  traveler  on  foot.  The  individual  character  of  dogs 
is  as  variable  as  that  of  human  beings,  and  in  order  to  get  the  most 
out  of  them  their  dispositions  and  eccentricities  must  be  just  as  care- 
fully studied.  The  most  of  the  Eskimo  dogs  are  exceedingly  affec- 
tionate, fond  of  play,  and  easily  trained.  They  are  courageous  and  often 
pugnacious,  and  their  disposition  to  fight  is  too  well  known  to  require 
more  than  passing  mention.  In  a  team  or  collection  of  any  number  of 
dogs  belonging  to  one  person  this  disposition  to  fight  can  be  easily 
overcome,  but  when  a  strange  team  is  met  on  the  trail,  or  if  the  dogs 
belonging  to  a  stranger  venture  on  the  ground  of  the  home  team,  it 
seems  almost  impossible  to  prevent  the  two  from  engaging  in  a  pitched 
battle,  in  which  event  even  the  young  puppies  will  join.  It  is  a  singu- 
lar fact,  however,  that  these  dogs  seldom  attack  a  man  unless  under 
great  provocation.  Their  affection  for  their  master  can  be  easily 
alienated,  and  they  have  only  to  be  fed  one  or  two  days  by  a  new  owner 
to  be  as  loyal  to  him  as  though  no  other  master  had  ever  been  known. 
On  this  account  every  traveler  in  the  country  makes  it  a  point  to  feed 
his  own  dogs.  In  this  way,  and  this  way  alone,  can  he  be  certain  of 
their  allegiance. 

Ordinary  dog  teams  are  composed  of  from  5  to  7  dogs.  A  large 
number  makes  the  team  unwieldy,  with  hardly  any  additional  benefit 
in  the  way  of  increased  speed  or  hauling  power.  For  very  heavy 
work  over  a  good  trail  a  large  number  of  dogs  can  sometimes  be  used 


WINTER   TRAVELING   DRESS,   COMMON   THROUGHOUT  THE  YUKON 
VALLEY. 


159 

to  advantage,  but  not  so  on  the  ordinary  trails  over  the  rough  surface 
of  the  river  or  through  the  brush-obstructed  trails  of  the  interior. 
Here  quick,  snappy  work  is  required,  and  the  smaller  the  team 
having  strength  enough  to  haul  the  load  the  better.  Under  ordinary 
conditions  of  travel  one  dog  will  haul  100  pounds  a  distance  of  40 
miles  per  day  for  from  three  to  four  days  without  showing  any 
amount  of  fatigue.  If  the  trail  is  bad  half  that  distance  will  be  a 
good  day's  work,  and  in  any  case  no  team  should  be  worked  continu- 
ously more  than  four  days  without  a  rest  of  at  least  one  da}T  before 
proceeding  on  the  journey.  Great  care  must  be  taken  to  see  that 
their  feet  are  in  good  condition,  as  they  are  liable  to  become  sore 
after  three  or  four  days'  hard  travel  and,  unless  attended  to,  the  dog 
ma}'  be  made  permanently  lame.  The  harness  used  for  dogs  in  the 
interior  consists  of  a  padded  collar,  made  to  slip  on  over  the  head  and 
fit  snugly  around  the  neck,  to  which  are  attached  on  each  side  traces 
fitted  at  the  ends  with  snap  hooks.  The  traces  are  supported  by  loops 
attached  to  a  wide  band  passing  around  the  body  of  the  dog  just 
behind  his  forelegs.  The  harness  is  made  either  of  leather  or  wide 
cotton  webbing,  and  the  dogs  are  invariably  driven  tandem.  The 
method  in  vogue  on  the  coast  and  in  the  timberless  country  of  driving 
the  animals  two  abreast  would  not  do  in  the  interior,  where  the  trails 
are  mostly  through  dense  brush  and  very  narrow. 

Experience  in  handling  dogs  has  shown  that  the  best  time  to  feed 
them  is  at  night  after  the  work  of  the  day  is  over.  They  do  not  work 
so  well  after  a  full  meal  as  they  do  if  a  sufficient  time  has  elapsed 
after  eating  to  allow  the  food  to  become  thoroughly  digested.  And, 
furthermore,  by  following  the  custom  of  feeding  the  dogs  at  night 
they  soon  learn  to  recognize  the  fact  that  after  being  harnessed  up  in 
the  morning  they  will  not  be  fed  again  until  camp  is  made  at  the  end 
of  the  day's  run,  and  this  knowledge  is  supposed  to  act  as  an  incentive 
for  them  to  get  through  with  the  work  as  quickly  as  possible.  How- 
true  true  or  mistaken  this  belief  in  the  intelligence  of  the  dogs  is,  it  is 
undoubtedly  a  fact  that  they  invariably  brighten  up  after  a  long  day's 
travel  when  signs  of  a  stopping  place  are  seen  ahead,  and  toward  night 
the  scent  of  a  camp-fire  smoke  will  be  detected  by  the  dogs  long 
before  its  presence  is  observed  by  the  traveler,  and  the  leader  of  the 
team  usually  transmits  the  news  down  the  line  by  a  series  of  short, 
shai-p  barks,  which  seems  to  put  new  life  into  the  entire  team  and  to 
cause  every  drooping  tail  to  be  elevated — a  sure  sign  with  these  dogs 
that  the}'  are  feeling  well.  The  best  food  for  dogs  in  Alaskan  work  is 
composed  of  a  mixture  of  dried  salmon,  lard,  or  any  other  kind  of 
grease,  and  corn  meal,  to  which  enough  water  is  added  to  make  of  the 
whole  when  cooked  a  kind  of  thick  soup  or  mush.  In  the  absence  of 
these  ingredients  dogs  can  be  fed  on  almost  any  kind  of  food  which  is 
used  by  man,  but  they  seem  to  require  a  certain  amount  of  fish  and 


160 

the  oil  which  it  contains  in  order  to  be  kept  in  good  condition  and 
healthy. 

The  principal  diseases  with  which  the  Alaskan  dogs  are  afflicted  are 
the  mange,  sore  eyes,  and  a  species  of  rabies  which  makes  its  appear- 
ance periodically  once  in  every  three  or  four  years.  When  suffering 
from  the  latter  disease  a  dog  will  abstain  from  all  food  and  gradually 
grow  irritable  and  quarrelsome,  and  as  a  bite  from  the  afflicted  animal 
will  transmit  the  disease  to  the  object  of  his  attack,  the  best  means  of 
protecting  the  team  and  to  prevent  the  spread  of  the  disease  is  to  kill 
the  dog  which  first  shows  signs  of  sickness  from  this  cause.  It  is 
believed  that  the  rabies  can  be  transmitted  through  the  means  of 
excretions  of  the  salivary  glands  from  diseased  animals  being  allowed 
to  contaminate  the  food  of  the  healthy  dogs,  and  as  a  matter  of  pre- 
caution every  dog  in  the  team  should  be  closely  watched  in  the  spring, 
which  is  the  season  of  greatest  danger,  and  at  the  first  appearance  of 
sickness  which  causes  it  to  reject  its  food  the  animal  should  be  isolated 
from  the  rest  of  the  team  and  kept  as  quiet  as  possible  until  the  cause 
of  his  indisposition  can  be  determined.  There  is  no  known  remedy 
for  the  cure  of  the  rabies,  and  in  the  event  of  its  appearance  the  most 
humane  act  to  save  the  afflicted  animal  from  useless  suffering  is  to 
mercifully  shoot  it  at  once. 

So  far  as  known,  there  is  no  case  on  record  in  Alaska  of  the  disease 
having  been  transmitted  to  man,  but  with  the  introduction  of  dogs 
from  the  outside  it  is  possible  that  some  other  form  of  the  disease 
may  become  common  which  will  be  as  dangerous  to  man  as  it  is  known 
to  be  in  the  States. 

Mange  is  the  result  of  low  and  restricted  diet,  and  sometimes 
becomes  so  virulent  in  character  as  to  be  incurable.  As  a  usual  thing, 
however,  the  disease  yields  readily  to  local  treatment  of  the  affected 
parts  by  application  of  soothing  ointments,  and  by  the  administration 
of  purging  medicines  to  the  dog,  followed  by  a  generous  diet  of  fresh 
food  in  which  a  small  amount  of  sulphur  should  be  mixed  until  the 
patient  shows  signs  of  recovery. 

During  the  early  part  of  spring  the  dogs  suffer  considerably  from 
sore  eyes,  which  is  caused  no  doubt  by  the  glare  of  the  sun's  rays  on 
the  white  surface  of  the  snow  during  the  almost  continuous  hours  of 
daylight  at  this  season.  Another  source  of  trouble  in  this  direction  is 
caused  by  the  irritating  effect  of  small  particles  of  snow,  which  is  as 
dry  as  sand  and  almost  as  cutting,  being  blown  into  the  eyes.  The 
annoyance  of  the  animals  from  this  source  can  be  easily  imagined  when 
one  observes  the  amount  of  flying  snow  particles  whirling  along  just 
above  the  surface  whenever  the  wind  blows.  And  if  more  convincing 
proof  is  wanted,  all  one  has  to  do  is  to  expose  the  hand  to  <^ie  impact 
of  the  flying  particles  of  snow.  The  resulting  sensation  will  be  found 
to  be  anything  but  agreeable. 


•5*  i   *■■! 
41111 


I 


■  ■« 


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161 

On  long  trips,  and  especially  in  loose  snow,  the  dogs'  feet  frequently 
become  very  sore  and  lacerated.  At  frequent  intervals  the  loose  hair 
which  grows  between  the  toes  should  be  trimmed  off  even  with  the  pad, 
and  the  feet  given  a  good  hard  rubbing  with  a  mixture  of  boiled  linseed 
oil  and  kerosene.  Dog  moccasins,  made  of  dressed  moose  hide  and  fitted 
with  thongs  for  lashing  them  on  above  the  first  joint  of  the  leg,  are  in 
common  use  throughout  the  country,  and  no  prospector  who  has  the 
proper  care  of  his  team  at  heart  should  ever  start  on  a  journey  with- 
out a  full  supply  of  these  articles. 

It  has  been  found  that  the  native-made  sleds,  which  are  fastened 
together  with  moose  rawhide,  are  not  as  well  adapted  for  the  transpor- 
tation of  hea\r3T  loads  as  those  made  by  white  men  and  fastened  with 
screws  and  nails.  On  this  account  most  of  the  sleds  seen  in  use  at 
the  present  da}' ,  both  b}^  the  whites  and  Indians,  have  been  made  on 
the  outside  and  shipped  in  for  sale  by^  the  companies.  These  sleds 
are  made  of  oak  or  hickory  trimmed  with  ash,  and  are  from  8  to  12 
feet  long  by  17  to  20  inches  wide.  The  runners  are  li  to  2  inches 
wide,  one-half  inch  thick,  and  protected  from  wear  by  thin  strips  of  steel 
or  brass  fastened  to  their  lower  sides.  The  larger  sleds  are  provided 
with  a  pair  of  handles  at  the  rear  for  steering,  and  when  these  are 
not  used  a  "gee-pole"  is  attached  to  the  forward  end  for  the  same 
purpose.  When  a  " gee-pole"  is  used  the  driver  walks  in  front  of 
the  sled  and  steers  it  with  one  hand,  and  in  order  to  allow  him  room 
to  walk  without  interfering  with  the  dogs  a  long  line  is  used  to  attach 
the  rear  dog  of  the  team  to  the  sled. 

Where  the  trails  are  not  good  or  in  deep  snow,  toboggans  are  gen- 
erally substituted  for  sleds  with  runners. 

The  toboggans  are  made  of  long,  thin  strips  of  birch  wood,  which  is 
first  whip-sawed  out  and  then  dressed  down  to  a  smooth  surface  by  the 
Indians,  and  the  forward  ends  are  bent  upward  and  backward  and 
held  in  place  by  a  covering  of  rawhide  secured  by  moose-hide  lashings. 
The  sides  of  the  toboggans  are  formed  of  canvas  or  dressed  moose  skin, 
to  hold  the  load  in  place.  A  good  idea  of  the  different  kinds  of  sleds 
and  toboggans  in  use  in  the  country  can  be  obtained  by  reference  to 
the  accompanying  photographs. 

For  short  trips  across  the  snow-covered  country  snow  shoes  are  a 
necessary  part  of  the  equipment  of  the  traveler.  The  snowshoes  made 
by  the  natives  of  the  interior  of  Alaska  are  probably  the  best  articles 
of  the  kind  manufactured  in  any  part  of  the  world.  The  frame  is 
made  of  well-seasoned  birch  and  is  from  5  to  6  feet  long  by  12  to 
16  inches  wide.  The  front  and  rear  portions  of  the  shoe  are  filled  in 
with  a  webbing  made  of  very  fine  twisted  sinew,  and  the  middle  section 
is  formed  of  strong  rawhide  twisted  together  so  as  to  furnish  a  good 
foundation  for  the  foot.     A  smaller  kind  of  snowshoe  is  used  for 


162 

breaking  trail  for  a  dog  team  to  follow,  and  is  called  a  "trip  shoe." 
The  smaller  area  of  the  "  trip  shoe  "  allows  the  foot  to  sink. deeper  into 
the  snow,  and  by  this  means  packs  it  down  into  a  more  solid  mass  and 
furnishes  better  footing  for  the  dogs.  In  use  the  snowshoe  is  confined 
.to  the  foot  by^  means  of  a  thong  of  dressed  moose  hide,  so  arranged 
that  it  passes  around  the  ankle  and  is  crossed  over  the  instep,  thus 
holding  the  toes  tightly  against  the  shoe  while  allowing  the  heel  to  be 
freely  moved  in  any  direction.  The  novice  in  snowshoe  practice 
should  never  venture  into  deep  snow  unless  the  foot  lashing  is  so 
secured  that  it  can  be  instantly  cast  off  in  case  of  necessity.  Accidents 
sometimes  happen  by  which  a  person  just  learning  to  walk  on  snow- 
shces  will  be  thrown  headlong-  into  the  deep  snow.  In  such  an  event 
the  new  beginner  will  find  it  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  free  himself 
from  the  snowshoes  unless  the  foot  lashing-  is  so  secured  that  it  can  be 
quickly  released.  In  case  no  one  is  present  to  render  assistance, 
serious  results  may  follow. 

WINTER   TRANSPORTATION   OF   THE    MAIL. 

There  is  no  public  service  more  arduous  and  hazardous  and  at  the 
same  time  more  faithfully  performed  in  Alaska  than  is  the  transporta- 
tion of  the  mails  during  the  winter  season.  The  men  employed  on 
this  duty  are  without  doubt  the  hardest  worked  public  servants  in  the 
Territory,  and  no  words  can  be  too  strong  in  praise  of  the  manner  in 
which  their  duties  are  performed. 

Immediately  after  the  cessation  of  steamboat  travel  on  the  river,  and 
long  before  travel  on  the  trails  is  either  safe  or  practicable,  the  car- 
riers begin  to  move  the  mail.  The  rough,  bowlder-strewn  beaches  of 
the  river  furnish  the  only  road  over  which  travel  is  practicable  at  this 
season,  and  as  sledding  is  impossible  under  these  conditions  the  mail 
is  made  up  into  packs  and  transported  on  the  backs  of  dogs  instead  of 
being  hauled  on  sleds.  When  a  tributary  stream  of  the  main  river  is 
encountered  the  mail  man  frequently  finds  it  impossible  to  procure  a 
boat,  and  in  the  absence  of  any  such  means  of  crossing  the  stream  the 
mail  man  must  depend  upon  his  own  resources  and  ingenuity  to  get 
himself  and  dogs  safely  past  the  obstacle.  If  the  stream  is  too  deep  to 
ford,  a  raft  must  be  built  or  else  a  long  detour  made  to  find  a  shallow 
crossing.  It  is  not  surprising  that  the  mail  men  take  advantage  of  the 
first  opportunity  furnished  by  the  formation  of  ice  on  the  Yukon  to 
abandon  the  difficult  and  tedious  road  along  the  river  shores  for  the 
easier  but  much  more  dangerous  method  of  travel  over  the  level  sur- 
face of  the  river  ice.  Long  before  it  is  really  safe  to  do  so,  the  mail 
men  take  to  the  river  and  do  not  abandon  it  until  all  other  travel  on 
the  trails  has  ceased  in  the  spring.  They  take  desperate  chances  to 
get  the  mail  through  on  time,  and  the  wonder  is  that  the  fatal  acci- 


163 

dents   which   sometimes   overtake   them   are   not  of    more   frequent 
occurrence. 

During  the  first  part  of  the  season  the  transportation  of  the  mails 
is  necessarily  somewhat  irregular  and  subject  to  delays,  but  after  the 
river  is  fairly  closed  and  the  trails  are  open  for  travel,  the  arrival  and 
departure  of  the  carrier  with  the  mails  become  events  of  such  regu- 
larity throughout  the  season  that  their  failure  to  appear  as  expected 
at  any  given  point  is  a  matter  of  general  comment  and  anxious  specu- 
lation. The  mail  route  through  the  Yukon  Valley  follows  the  course 
of  the  river  from  the  terminus  of  the  White  Pass  Railway,  at  White 
Horse,  to  Kaltag,  570  miles  from  its  mouth.  At  this  point  the  trail 
leaves  the  river  and  crosses  the  tundra  plains  to  Unalaklik,  on  the 
shores  of  Norton  Sound,  and  from  thence  southward  to  St.  Michael 
and  northward  around  the  head  of  Norton  Sound  to  Nome  and  the 
other  settlements  to  the  westward. 

The  entire  route  is  divided  into  districts  or  "runs"  of  from  50  to 
75  miles  in  length,  and  a  carrier  is  assigned  to  each  district  who  is 
responsible  for  the  proper  transportation  of  the  mail  while  under  his 
charge.  Small  log  cabins  are  located  at  convenient  points  along  the 
route  for  the  accommodation  of  the  carriers  when  they  meet  to 
exchange  the  mails  coming  into  and  bound  out  of  the  Territory  and 
to  serve  as  storehouses  for  surplus  supplies  and  material  necessary  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  service  during  the  winter.  These  cabins  are 
intended  only  for  the  use  of  the  mail  men  and  are  otherwise  unoccu- 
pied. When  the  carriers  arrive  at  the  stations  they  have  to  cut  their 
own  wood  for  fuel  and  prepare  food  not  only  for  themselves,  but  also 
for  their  dogs.  This  work  after  a  hard  da}^'s  run  is  exceedingly  irk- 
some and  frequently  occupies  their  attention  until  late  in  the  night. 
With  the  first  appearance  of  daylight  in  the  morning  they  are  again  on 
the  way.  Although  ordinary  travelers  find  it  better  policy  to  remain 
in  camp  during  excessively  cold  weather,  the  feeling  among  the  carriers 
that  the  mail  must  not  be  deteyed  is  so  strong  that  delays  on  this 
account  are  hardly  worthy  of  consideration.  In  case  one  carrier  fails 
for  an3T  reason  to  make  connections  on  time  the  other  one  does  not 
wait,  but  pushes  right  along  until  the  delayed  carrier  is  encountered. 
This  may,  and  frequentl}T  does,  occur  late  in  the  day  at  a  point  on  the 
trail  where  there  is  no  shelter  but  the  woods.  In  that  case  a  camp  is 
either  made  in  the  open  air  or,  if  the  weather  be  too  cold,  the  mails 
are  exchanged  and  both  carriers  return  as  best  they  may  through  the 
darkness  to  the  nearest  place  where  shelter  can  be  obtained.  Snow- 
storms which  obliterate  the  trails,  overflows  which  make  it  necessary 
to  break  a  new  trail,  and  sudden  thaws  which  render  the  road  impas- 
sable except  during  the  colder  hours  of  nighttime  are  among  the 
commonest  causes  of  delay  in  the  winter  transportation  of  the  mail. 


164 

But  in  spite  of  the  many  difficulties,  dangers,  and  hardships  of  the 
duty,  there  appears  to  be  a  certain  fascination  attending  its  perform- 
ance which  sustains  the  hardy  men  whose  lives  are  spent  in  this 
valuable  service,  and  once  having  entered  into  the  work  it  seems  hard 
for  them  to  give  it  up. 

The  pay  of  the  carriers  is  entirely  out  of  proportion  to  that  received 
by  laborers  in  other  forms  of  employment  in  the  country,  and  it 
should  be  increased.  After  deducting  necessary  expenses  for  dogs, 
dog  feed,  and  other  supplies,  the  mail  men  seldom  receive  more  than 
$125  per  month  for  their  winter's  work. 

The  time  occupied  in  transit  of  the  mails  during  the  winter  varies 
with  the  season.  During  the  short  days  of  midwinter  the  carriers 
make  an  average  distance  of  25  miles  a  day,  but  later  on,  when  the 
trails  are  in  good  condition  and  the  days  are  longer,  from  35  to  45 
miles  are  made.  At  Fort  Shoemaker,  which  is  situated  at  a  point 
which  is  approximately  one-half  the  distance  from  the  terminus  of  rail- 
road communication  with  the  outside  and  the  coast  of  Bering  Sea,  let- 
ters were  usually  received  from  the  States  in  from  forty  to  forty-three 
days  during  the  midwinter  months.  Later  on  this  time  was  reduced 
to  an  average  time  of  thirty-five  days,  and  letters  have  been  received 
from  the  outside  which  had  only  been  on  the  road  thirty-one  days. 
The  time  usually  taken  for  mail  to  reach  St.  Michael  from  Fort  Shoe- 
maker was  from  twenty-eight  to  thirty  days,  and  to  Nome  the  distance 
was  covered  in  about  four  days  longer.  The  distance  from  our  win- 
ter quarters  to  the  coast  by  way  of  the  trail  is  about  700  miles,  and 
from  that  point  to  the  upper  terminus  of  the  mail  route  on  the  river 
about  900  miles.  A  comparison  of  the  time  in  transit  of  the  mail  over 
the  two  sections  of  the  route  will  showr  that  much  better  time  is  made 
in  the  upper  section  of  the  river.  This  may  be  accounted  for  by  the 
fact  that  after  leaving  the  river  at  Kaltag  the  trail  crosses  a  mountain 
range  where  progress  is  necessarily  much  slower  than  on  the  level 
river  trails,  and  the  mail  stations  are  farther  apart,  thereby  making 
the  "runs"  more  difficult.  Special  couriers  with  light  loaded  sleds 
have  made  the  run  from  St.  Michael  to  Dall  River  inside  of  twenty- 
five  days,  but  the  conditions  under  which  this  time  was  made  were 
exceptionally  favorable,  and  it  can  not  be  accepted  as  a  standard  for 
estimating  the  time  required  for  the  transportation  of  the  mail  under 
ordinary  circumstances. 

Sleds  or  toboggans,  according  to  the  condition  of  the  trails,  are  used 
in  the  transportation  of  the  mail  during  the  winter.  A  team  com- 
posed of  five  of  the  best  dogs  that  can  be  procured  is  used  to  haul  the 
load,  and  from  350  to  500  pounds  of  mail  matter  is  the  average  amount 
of  weight  carried  on  each  trip.  The  letters  are  inclosed  in  regular 
mail  sacks,  and  only  first-class  mail  is  accepted  by  the  carriers  for 


165 

transportation  in  this  way.  All  other  mail  intended  for  the  interior 
is  held  at  White  Horse  or  Skagway  until  the  opening-  of  steamboat 
navigation  in  the  spring. 

It  would  be  a  great  boon  to  the  settlers  of  the  Yukon  Valley  if 
arrangements  could  be  made  whereby  newspapers  and  second-class 
mail  matter  could  be  transported  during  the  winter  months.  But  this 
measure  of  relief  can  only  be  afforded  by  an  increase  of  the  appropria- 
tion for  the  transportation  of  the  mail  in  the  Territory.  Under  pres- 
ent conditions  the  carriers  have  all  the  work  they  can  possibly  attend 
to  in  the  transportation  of  first-class  mail  matter  only. 


"UBR  *  ftp 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 


CHAPTER  IV. 


ECONOMIC    CONDITIONS. 


DWELLINGS. 


The  most  common  form  of  dwelling  used  by  both  the  white  and 
native  inhabitants  of  the  Yukon  Valley  is  made  of  spruce  logs,  hewn 
by  hand  to  fit  together  as  closely  as  possible  and  made  tight  by 
chinking  the  crevices  and  seams  of  the  wall  with  moss  or  mud.  The 
introduction  of  sawmills  and  the  manufacture  of  board  lumber  has 
been  followed  in  several  places  by  the  erection  of  frame  houses,  but 
experience  has  shown  that  the  old-fashioned  log  house,  if  properly 
constructed,  is  better  suited  to  this  climate. 

The  roof  of  a  log  house  is  formed  by  two  or  more  logs  laid  length- 
wise of  the  structure  parallel  to  the  ridgepole,  and  if  a  porch  or  vesti- 
bule is  desired  these  roof  logs  and  the  ridgepole  are  cut  long  enough 
to  project  be}rond  the  building  so  as  to  form  the  roof  of  the  porch. 
Smaller  trees  are  then  split,  and  laid  with  their  flat  sides  down  across 
the  roof  logs  from  the  eaves  to  the  ridgepole  on  each  side.  The  roof 
is  then  covered  with  grass  or  builders'  paper,  and  over  this  is  thrown 
a  thin  layer  of  dirt,  which  is  tramped  down  smooth  and  level.  This 
makes  a  warm  and  water-tight  roof. 

In  a  well-built  house  the  large  logs  used  to  form  the  walls  are 
squared  on  their  inner  side  with  a  whipsaw,  so  that  when  the  house  is 
completed  the  interior  presents  a  smooth  and  level  surface.  Light  is 
secured  by  means  of  windows,  if  glass  can  be  obtained;  otherwise  arti- 
ficial light  must  be  depended  upon  during  very  cold  weather.  Venti- 
lation is  secured  in  some  cases  by  means  of  large  augur  holes  bored 
through  the  logs  and  fitted  with  plugs,  which  can  be  inserted  or 
removed  at  pleasure,  or  a  square  box,  fitted  with  a  slide  to  be  worked 
from  the  interior,  is  built  into  the  roof.  The  Indian  method  of  securing 
ventilation  in  former  years  was  to  leave  an  aperture  in  the  center  of 
the  roof,  through  which  the  smoke  from  the  fire  escaped  and  fresh  air 
was  admitted  to  the  interior.  Of  late  years,  however,  they  have 
adopted  the  more  rational  plan  of  the  white  man  in  the  construction 
of  their  houses.     Many  of  the  modern  log  houses  are  lined  with  wall 

167 


168 

paper,  but  in  former  years  white  drilling  was  used  for  this  purpose, 
and  it  is  an  admirable  substitute,  as  it  is  much  more  serviceable,  can 
be  whitened  with  paint  or  whitewash  when  it  becomes  soiled,  and 
serves  to  lighten  up  the  interior  much  better  than  the  ordinary  colored 
wall  paper.  The  doors  are  made  from  boards  or  hewn  out  of  the  solid 
timber,  and  should  be  set  up  at  least  6  inches  above  the  level  of  the 
floor  to  prevent  drafts.  The  floors  of  the  older  houses  were  usually 
of  dirt,  but  in  the  later  houses  they  are  made  of  boards  nailed  to  joists. 
The  space  between  the  floor  and  the  ground  is  filled  in  with  dry  moss 
packed  down  solid,  and  the  outer  part  of  the  walls  is  banked  up  with 
dirt  to  a  distance  of  a  foot  or  two  for  warmth.  The  interior  is  heated 
by  means  of  small  wood-burning  stoves,  upon  which  all  the  cooking 
for  the  household  is  also  done.  A  good  bed  can  be  improvised  from 
long  pliant  poles  secured  at  the  ends  to  a  frame  and  the  whole  covered 
with  a  layer  of  small  spruce  boughs.  In  all  of  the  settlements  modern 
furniture  is  now  used,  even  in  the  houses  of  the  natives;  but  the 
cruder  methods  of  pioneer  days  can  still  be  observed,  and  in  fact  are 
the  rule  in  the  wood-choppers'  cabins  and  dwellings  hastily  erected  by 
the  miners  while  prospecting  the  country. 

Corrugated  iron  has  been  of  late  years  introduced  and  used  to  some 
extent  in  the  construction  of  warehouses,  stores,  etc.  It  has  not  proved 
altogether  satisfactory  for  use  in  building  dwelling  houses,  for  the 
reason  that  houses  of  this  material  are  either  too  hot  or  too  cold  for 
comfort.  The  heat  from  an  ordinary  sheet- iron  stove  will  raise  the 
temperature  of  the  interior  of  a  house  of  this  kind  to  an  uncomfortable 
height  in  a  very  short  time,  and  it  is  difficult  to  regulate  on  account 
of  the  fact  that  the  temperature  will  fall  to  what  it  is  on  the  outside 
if  the  fire  is  allowed  to  die  down.  Where  it  is  possible  to  maintain  a 
steady  fire  the  corrugated  iron  houses  are  habitable  in  the  coldest 
weather,  but  they  will  not  retain  the  heat  as  a  log  house  will. 

The  chief  disadvantages  of  a  log-built  house  are  that  the  logs  are 
liable  to  early  decay  unless  they-  have  been  thoroughly  seasoned 
before  being  used,  and  the  cumbersome  material  does  not  adapt  itself 
to  anything  but  the  crudest  forms  of  architecture.  They  are  com- 
fortable, but  can  not  be  made  as  convenient  as  the  lighter  frame 
houses  with  the  same  amount  of  labor.  The  cost  of  frame  houses  at 
the  present  time  is  much  more  than  that  of  a  log  house  of  the  same  size, 
but  with  the  rapid  growth  of  the  country  and  with  more  sawmills  in 
operation  this  feature  will  doubtless  become  one  of  less  importance 
for  consideration  by  the  intending  builder  of  a  home. 

It  would  appear  from  the  experience  of  the  army  authorities  in 
building  their  dwelling  houses  at  the  several  posts  in  Alaska  that  an 
ideal  house  to  suit  all  the  requirements  of  life  in  this  regior**is  a  frame 
structure  made  with  double  walls  and  floors,  lined  with  builders' 
paper,  fitted  with  double  windows,  vestibule  entrance,  and  inclosed 


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WINTER  COSTUMES  USED  FOR  SHORT  EXCURSIONS  IN  THE  OPEN  AIR  IN  THE 
YUKON  VALLEY. 

The  coat  is  made  of  tanned  reindeer  fawn  skins,  with  a  hood,  trimmed  with 
wolverine  fur.    It  is  too  warm  for  use  on  sled  trips. 


169 

kitchen.  The  space  between  the  floor  and  ground  should  be  filled 
with  some  nonconducting  material,  such  as  sawdust  or  dry  moss 
tightly  packed,  and  the  exterior  of  the  house  should  be  banked  up 
with  sods  for  a  distance  of  a  foot  above  the  level  of  the  floor.  One- 
storied  houses  are  preferable,  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  heating 
the  upper  rooms  of  houses  having  more  than  one  story,  but  in  the 
case  of  large  buildings,  such  as  the  hotels  at  St.  Michael  and  the  bar- 
racks for  the  accommodation  of  the  soldiers  at  the  several  posts,  the 
upper  rooms  can  be  made  perfectly  comfortable  during  the  coldest 
weather  by  heating  them  with  stoves. 

The  temperature  which  should  be  maintained  in  houses  during  the 
winter  in  order  to  make  them  comfortable  is  largely  governed  by 
individual  choice.  As  a  general  rule,  it  should  never  be  higher  than 
60°  F.,  and  it  would  probably  be  better  from  the  standpoint  of  good 
health  to  have  it  even  lower.  The  houses  of  the  natives  are  invariably 
kept  too  warm,  with  insufficient  attention  given  to  ventilation,  the 
result  being  that  they  suffer  greatly  from  colds  and  diseases  of  the 
respiratory  organs.  Contrary  to  the  usually  accepted  belief,  we  found 
no  inconvenience  or  difficulty  in  passing  from  a  heated  room  directly 
into  the  open  air,  even  during  the  coldest  weather.  In  fact,  it  was 
frequently  a  relief  to  step  out  of  an  overheated  room  or  tent  into  the 
outer  air,  where  at  times  a  difference  of  over  100c  of  temperature 
would  be  instantly  experienced,  with  no  bad  results  whatever. 

CLOTHING. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  think  that  fur  clothing  is  necessary,  or  even  advis- 
able, for  use  in  the  interior  of  Alaska.  A  newcomer  is  instantly 
recognized  by  the  heav}^  fur  coat,  and  sometimes  other  fur  garments, 
which  he  wears  upon  his  first  visit  to  the  country.  A  short  experi- 
ence will,  however,  convince  him  that  such  clothing  is  unnecessary 
except  under  special  conditions,  and  after  a  short  residence  all  fur  gar- 
ments will  be  discarded  for  the  more  comfortable  clothing  of  civilized 
communities. 

During  the  very  coldest  da}rs  of  midwinter  we  found  that  good 
woolen  clothing  of  the  kind  usually  worn  at  that  season  in  our  North- 
ern States  was  amply  sufficient  to  keep  us  comfortable.  While  travel- 
ing on  the  trail  one  must  be  provided  with  heavy  German  wool  socks 
reaching  to  the  knee,  a  pair  of  fleece-lined  or  deerskin  socks  reaching 
to  the  ankle,  and  the  whole  covered  with  moose-hide  moccasins  for 
foot  covering.  The  hands  are  protected  by  woolen  mittens  during 
moderately  cold  weather  or  when  the  blood  is  in  rapid  circulation.  In 
very  cold  weather  additional  protection  must  be  given  the  hands  by 
using  the  native-made  moose-hide  hand  warmer,  which  is  a  gauntlet- 
shaped  mitten  large  enough  to  be  drawn  over  the  ordinary  woolen  one. 
They  are  usually  lined  with  fur  and  attached  to  straps  worn  over  the 


170 

shoulders,  so  that  they  can  be  thrown  off  or  used  as  occasion  may 
require.  The  head  is  covered  by  a  cap  made  of  some  light-weight 
material  faced  with  fur  and  having  flaps  attached  sufficiently  large  to 
protect  the  ears  and  tie  under  the  chin.  Masks  to  cover  the  exposed 
portion  of  the  face,  such  as  are  worn  on  the  arctic  coast,  are  not  used 
in  the  interior,  but  in  their  place  a  small  strip  of  fur  or  a  silk  hand- 
kerchief is  folded  and  worn  across  the  nose  just  below  the  eyes.  In 
ordinary  winter  temperatures  this  protection  is  not  necessary,  and  as 
it  interferes  with  the  sight  it  is  not  worn.  In  windy  or  stormy  weather 
the  traveler  puts  on  over  his  ordinary  clothing  a  long,  hooded  shirt  or 
"  parkie"  made  of  drilling,  with  the  edge  of  the  hood  trimmed  with 
some  long-haired  fur  to  prevent  the  snow  from  driving  in  on  the  face. 
This  ''parkie"  is  made  to  put  on  over  the  head,  and  is  an  effectual 
protection  against  the  hardest  kind  of  wind.  The  photograph  facing 
this  page  shows  the  style  of  winter  dress  in  general  use  in  the  country 
by  travelers. 

In  all  essential  particulars  the  natives  dress  as  the  whites  do  through- 
out the  year.  The  native  women  wear  short  woolen  or  calico  skirts 
reaching  to  the  ankles,  a  lined  waist,  underwaist  of  unbleached  muslin, 
and  drawers  made  of  some  heavy  material  reaching  to  the  ankles.  The 
foot  and  hand  covering  worn  by  the  women  is  similar  to  that  of  the 
men.  Shawls  or  blanket  coats  are  worn  during  the  winter,  and  the 
head  is  almost  invariably  protected  by  a  large  handkerchief,  usually 
of  silk,  which  is  folded  diagonally  and  tied  under  the  chin.  Light- 
weight fur  coats  made  of  mink,  muskrat,  or  tame  Siberian  deer  skins 
are  useful  to  slip  on  when  one  is  going  out  of  doors  for  a  short  walk, 
but  for  the  arduous  work  of  the  trail  all  fur  garments  are  too  warm 
for  comfort. 

FOOD   AND   WATER. 

At  all  of  the  settlements  on  the  Yukon  nearly  everything  in  the 
shape  of  food  products  can  be  obtained  either  in  cans  or  put  up  in  the 
form  of  dried,  evaporated,  or  smoked  goods.  The  great  variety  of 
articles  so  put  up  and  the  excellence  of  the  goods  makes  it  possible, 
with  the  exercise  of  a  little  judgment,  to  have  an  almost  constant 
change  of  fare.  Fresh  moose,  caribou,  deer,  and  bear  meat  is 
brought  into  the  settlements  by  the  Indians  for  sale  to  the  whites 
regularly  throughout  the  winter.  Grouse  of  several  varieties  and 
ptarmigan  are  also  shot  and  trapped  in  large  numbers  by  the  natives 
and  sold  at  very  reasonable  prices. 

Ducks  and  geese  which  are  shot  late  in  the  fall  can  be  kept  frozen 
all  winter  simply  by  allowing  them  to  hang  in  the  open  air.  Fish 
treated  in  this  way^  can  also  be  kept  through  until  spring  in  as  good 
condition  as  when  first  caught. 

At  all  of  the  settlements  where  there  is  a  sufficiently  large  popula- 
tion of  whites  to  warrant  the   importation  of  fresh  meat  from  the 


USUAL  DRESS  WORN  DURING  THE  WINTER  IN  THE  YUKON  VALLEY  FOR  SHORT 
WALKS  IN  THE  OPEN  AIR.  FOR  LONG  TRIPS  OR  SLED  WORK  THE  HEAVY 
COAT   IS  TOO  WARM. 


171 

States,  depots  have  been  established  for  the  storage  of  refrigerated 
beef,  mutton,  pork,  turkeys,  chickens,  and  eggs,  which  are  brought 
into  the  country  in  vessels  specially  fitted  up  with  refrigerating  plants. 
The  average  price  of  refrigerated  meats  on  the  river  is  from  30  to  50 
cents  a  pound,  according  to  the  amount  purchased.  Turkeys  and 
chickens  cost  35  to  50  cents  a  pound,  and  eggs  are  sold  at  from  50  cents 
to  $1.50  a  dozen. 

Moose  meat  is  an  excellent  substitute  for  beef,  and  one  does  not 
grow  tired  of  it,  as  in  the  case  of  most  kinds  of  wild  meat  Caribou 
is  very  tender  and  sweet,  but  is  too  gamey  for  a  steady  diet.  The 
flesh  of  the  muskrat  is  much  esteemed  by  the  natives,  but  is  repulsive 
to  most  civilized  palates,  more  on  account  of  association  of  ideas  than 
from  anything  objectionable  either  in  the  taste  or  odor  of  the  meat. 
When  properly  prepared  it  is  really  delicious  and  without  the  slightest 
disagreeable  feature.  The  Indians  sell  all  of  their  meats  at  prices 
varying  from  25  to  75  cents  a  pound,  according  to  the  local  demand. 
Fresh  potatoes  can  be  kept  in  good  condition  throughout  the  winter 
by  allowing  them  to  freeze  solid  and  keeping  them  in  this  condition. 
Only  sufficient  for  immediate  use  should  be  thawed  out  at  a  time,  as 
they  will  spoil  soon  after  thawing  unless*  they  are  cooked. 

Some  kale  which  had  been  planted  in  a  box  on  the  upper  deck  of 
the  JVunivak  was  found  to  be  fresh  and  in  good  condition  in  the  spring, 
after  it  had  been  exposed  to  the  intense  cold  of  winter  with  no  other 
protection  than  that  afforded  by  the  covering  of  snow,  which  had  not 
been  disturbed.  The  opportunity  of  making  further  experiments  did 
not  occur,  but  it  would  be  a  valuable  fact  to  know  that  such  vegetables 
as  kale  and  cabbage  can  be  preserved  through  the  winter  by  banking 
them  up  with  straw  and  allowing  them  to  remain  covered  with  snow 
until  spring. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  enumeration  of  the  different  articles  of 
food  which  can  be  obtained  during  the  winter  in  Alaska  that  no  one 
need  suffer  from  a  monotonous  fare  who  has  the  means  of  purchasing 
what  is  wanted  and  who  is  within  reach  of  amT  of  the  settlements. 
The  traveler  by  dog  team,  however,  must  restrict  himself  to  the  pur- 
chase and  consumption  of  only  what  is  absolutely  needed  to  sustain 
life  while  on  the  trail.  Every  additional  pound  of  weight  is  a  hin- 
drance to  progress,  and  for  this  reason  the  fare  of  the  traveler  during 
the  winter  season  is  necessarily  of  the  plainest  kind.  Beans,  bacon, 
tea,  sugar,  flour,  dried  fruit,  germea,  condensed  milk,  salt,  and  baking 
powder  are  essentials.  Anything  else  is  a  luxury,  and  seldom  finds 
place  in  the  outfit  of  the  experienced  traveler. 

Water  for  household  use  is  somewhat  difficult  to  obtain  both  winter 
and  summer  in  the  Yukon  Valley.  The  river  water  during  the  season 
of  open  navigation  is  too  muddy  for  use  until  it  has  been  allowed  to 
settle,  and  this  takes  a  long  time      The  small  brooks  and  tributary 


172 

streams  furnish  all  the  good  drinking  water  along  the  river,  but  these 
can  not  be  utilized  at  the  settlements  for  sanitary  reasons,  and  in  the 
absence  of  wells  all  the  water  for  household  purposes  must  be  either 
caught  in  barrels  when  it  rains  or  else  hauled  from  the  nearest  stream 
of  clear  water  that  is  free  from  contamination.  During  the  winter 
season  the  water  in  the  Yukon  becomes  as  clear  as  a  mountain  brook, 
and  it  is  used  exclusively  by  everyone  within  reach  of  the  river. 
When  the  ice  forms  in  the  fall  a  hole  is  cut  in  it  and  kept  open  until 
spring.  This  is  a  work  of  considerable  magnitude,  as  the  ice  reaches 
a  thickness  of  6  or  7  feet,  and  if  the  hole  is  not  kept  constantly  open 
by  cutting  away  the  new  ice  it  will  close  up  entirel}-  in  a  very  short 
time.  Water  from  the  ice  hole  is  hauled  on  sleds  to  the  house,  and  in 
an  ordinary  establishment  this  necessitates  two  or  more  trips  each  day. 
While  on  the  trail  water  is  obtained  by  melting  ice  or  snow.  The 
former  is  preferable  on  account  of  the  much  larger  bulk  of  snow 
required  to  produce  the  same  amount  of  water.  It  is  astonishing  how- 
thirsty  one  gets  while  on  the  trail,  and  it  frequently  happens  that  a 
stop  must  be  made  to  build  a  lire  so  as  to  get  a  drink  of  water. 

SERVANTS. 

Intending  settlers  in  the  interior  of  Alaska  must  either  make  up 
their  minds  to  do  their  own  work  or  else  must  import  their  servants. 
The  natives  do  not  take  kindly  to  domestic  service,  and  outside  of  the 
missions,  where  such  work  is  considered  as  a  part  of  their  education, 
I  have  never  seen  a  single  native  who  was  steadily  employed  in  this 
vocation.  They  are  not  devoid  of  intelligence  in  domestic  matters 
and  readily  imitate  the  customs  of  the  whites  in  the  manner  of  keep- 
ing house,  but  they  are  too  independent  to  act  as  servants,  and  proba- 
bly never  will  be  different. 

A  few  white  women  are  to  be  seen  in  some  of  the  larger  settlements 
acting  as  waitresses  at  the  restaurants  and  as  housekeepers  for  fam- 
ilies, but  as  a  rule  there  are  no  household  servants  in  the  country  except 
those  who  have  been  brought  in  for  that  purpose  from  the  outside. 

At  St.  Michael  the  servants  of  the  Northern  Commercial  Company's 
hotel  are  all  white,  while  those  of  the  hotel  conducted  by  the  North 
American  Transportation  and  Trading  Company  are  all  chinese.  The 
pay  of  a  servant  of  any  kind  is  from  $40  to  $60  per  month,  and  that 
of  a  good  cook  is  from  $75  to  $100  per  month. 

COST    OF    LIVING. 

Board  may  be  obtained  at  the  hotels  at  St.  Michael  at  $4  to  $6  per 
day  for  transients.  Special  rates  are  given  to  anyone  desiring  board 
by  the  month,  and  it  may  be  stated  that  the  cost  of  living  under  these 
circumstances  is  about  the  same  it  would  be  at  any  first-class  hotel  in 
the  smaller  cities  of  the  States. 


<   z 
>    - 


I     u 
I-     2 


co     g 
u     a 


2  "a 

D.  X 

<  « 

z  £ 

£  * 

2  = 

co  5 


173 

The  charge  for  single  meals  at  the  restaurants  in  Rampart  City  aver- 
ages $1  each,  while  monthly  board  without  lodging  costs  from  $50  to 
$75  per  month.  In  the  case  of  persons  who  do  their  own  cooking  the 
cost  of  living,  exclusive  of  house  rent,  can  not  be  reduced  much  below 
$40  per  month.  A  saving  of  from  25  to  35  per  cent  can  be  made  by 
two  or  more  persons  living  together  and  combining  their  stores. 

These  estimates  do  not  include  other  expenses  necessarily  incurred 
if  any  traveling  is  done.  In  this  event  dogs  must  be  obtained,  and  the 
additional  expense  for  dog  feed  amounts  to  an  average  cost  of  50  cents 
a  day  for  each  dog.  A  prospector  can  hardly  travel  any  distance  away 
from  his  base  of  supplies  with  less  weight  than  500  pounds  on  his  sled, 
and  in  order  to  make  anything  like  reasonable  progress  he  must  have 
at  least  one  dog  for  each  hundred  pounds  of  weight  carried.  Referring 
to  the  estimated  cost  of  a  year's  provisions  for  one  man  in  Alaska, 
previously  given,  and  adding  the  cost  of  dogs,  dog  feed,  tools,  etc.,  it 
will  be  seen  that  the  cost  of  living  for  one  person  for  one  year,  if  any 
traveling  is  to  be  done,  will  be  as  follows: 

Cost  of  one  year's  living  in  Alaska  for  a  prospector. 

One  year's  provisions $500 

Five  dogs,  at  $40  each 200 

Six  months'  dog  feed  for  5  dogs 450 

Miner's  outfit  of  tools  and  implements 25 

Arms  and  ammunition 30 

Tent,  blankets,  and  clothing 100 

Add  for  incidental  expenses,  including  medicines,  fresh  meat,  etc.  50 

Total 1,  355 

The  estimate  for  dog  feed  covers  only  the  portion  of  the  year  in 
which  traveling  by  sled  is  possible.  After  that  time  the  prospector 
will  have  no  need  of  dogs,  and  they  may  be  disposed  of  at  an  average 
loss  of  75  per  cent  on  their  cost.  It  is  cheaper  for  the  ordinary  indi- 
vidual to  sell  his  dogs  at  the  end  of  the  season  even  at  a  loss  of  100  per 
cent  than  to  keep  them  over  summer.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  above 
estimate  that  no  one  should  enter  the  country  for  the  purpose  of 
engaging  in  no  other  form  of  employment  than  that  of  prospecting 
with  a  capital  of  less  than  about  $1,500. 

Day  laborers  around  the  settlements  are  paid  at  the  rate  of  $5  per 
day.  In  the  mines  laborers  are  paid  from  $5  to  $8  per  day,  with 
board.  Packers  average  25  cents  per  pound  for  distances  less  than 
100  miles.  Over  that  distance  the  cost  of  packing  during  the  winter 
season  is  based  on  a  figure  that  will  net  the  packer  $10  per  day. 


CHAPTER  V. 


HOME  LIFE  AND  SOCIAL  CONDITIONS. 


SOCIAL    DISTINCTIONS. 

It  is  but  natural  to  suppose  that  in  a  country  where  the  inhabitants 
are  to  a  great  extent  cut  off  from  communication  with  the  outside 
world  social  distinctions  are  not  very  strictly  drawn.  This  is  found 
to  be  the  case  in  a  marked  degree  in  Alaska.  Here,  true  hospitality, 
born  of  an  instinctive  desire  for  companionship,  is  seen  at  its  best. 
The  latchstring  of  every  dwelling,  be  it  the  humble  cabin  of  the  lonely 
wood  chopper  or  the  more  pretentious  home  of  the  prosperous  mer- 
chant or  trader  in  the  settlements,  is  always  hanging  on  the  outside, 
and  everyone  is  welcome  to  enter  and  share  whatever  comforts  may 
be  had  with  the  owner.  With  the  advent  of  so  many  adventurers  into 
the  country  during  the  last  two  or  three  years,  the  old  customs  of 
perfect  freedom  of  intercourse  have  been  somewhat  modified  to  suit 
existing  and  prospective  conditions,  but  it  is  still  true  of  Alaska  to 
say  that  society  is  in  its  primitive  and  democratic  state. 

In  all  of  the  larger  settlements  and  at  the  army  posts  the  presence 
of  refined  and  educated  women  who  have  followed  their  husbands  into 
the  country  has  done  much  to  mitigate  the  loneliness  and  discomforts 
of  life  in  the  far-away  Territory.  Since  their  coming  the  bare  walls  of 
the  soldiers'  quarters  and  the  rude  interiors  of  the  civilian's  log  house 
have  been  transformed  into  homelike  appearance  by  the  addition  of 
draperies  and  pictures.  The  customary  pile  of  tin  cans  and  refuse 
which  marked  the  abode  of  the  batchelor  has  been  effaced,  and  in  its 
place  neat  little  kitchen  gardens  are  to  be  seen,  while  in  every  house 
in  which  a  woman  has  come  to  live  the  windows  bloom  with  potted 
plants  and  the  rough  casements  and  doorways  are  overrun  with  climb- 
ing vines.  It  is  due  to  the  influence  of  these  good  women  that  men 
who  had  grown  careless  in  dress  and  speech  again  assumed  the  garb 
of  respectability  and  once  more  took  up  the  habits  and  customs  of 
civilization,  so  that  to-day  the  visitor  at  any  of  the  settlements  will 
see  nothing  extraordinary  either  in  the  dress  or  conduct  of  the  better 
class  of  the  community. 

175 


176 


AMUSEMENTS   AND   RECREATION. 

Throughout  the  long  winter  months  entertainments  of  various 
kinds — amateur  theatricals,  readings,  card  parties,  dances,  and  festi- 
vals— are  not  of  infrequent  occurrence,  and  while  there  is  a  certain 
amount  of  laxity  in  the  observance  of  strict  social  rules  on  the  part  of 
the  participants,  as  a  general  thing  these  affairs  are  conducted  with 
the  same  amount  of  decorum  as  would  be  observed  at  similar  affairs 
in  respectable  communities  on  the  outside. 

The  weather  is  seldom  too  cold  to  prevent  those  who  are  fond  of 
outdoor  exercise  from  spending  a  portion  of  the  day  in  the  open  air. 
Short  trips  are  made  into  the  hills  after  grouse  or  ptarmigan,  and  for 
those  who  do  not  fear  to  undergo  a  little  hardship  on  the  trail,  hunting 
for  large  game,  such  as  moose,  bear,  or  caribou,  furnishes  abundant 
and  exhilarating  sport.  Dog-team  driving  is  a  common  form  of  recre- 
ation after  the  winter  traveling  has  begun  and  the  trails  are  in  good 
condition,  and  it  is  by  no  means  uncommon  for  a  party  of  two  or  more 
congenial  friends  to  start  off  in  the  middle  of  winter  to  pay  a  visit  to 
some  other  settlement,  perhaps  entailing  a  journey  of  several  days 
duration. 

The  Christmas  holidays  at  all  of  the  larger  settlements  are  usually 
celebrated  by  a  round  of  indoor  and  outdoor  entertainments  and 
games,  in  some  of  which  the  natives  take  a  part.  Snowshoe  races, 
dog-team  races,  and  various  kinds  of  athletic  contests  suited  to  a  cold 
climate  take  place  at  this  season  and  are  thoroughly  enjo}Ted  by  all. 
During  Christmas  week  the  natives  always  have  a  big  feast,  to  which 
their  white  friends  are  asked  to  contribute  gifts  in  the  shape  of  food, 
and  the  feast  is  usually  followed  by  a  dance,  which  all  are  welcome  to 
attend.  At  this  season  the  Indians  spend  whole  days  tossing  each 
other  in  blankets,  and  the  incautious  white  man  who  ventures  too 
close  to  the  scene  will  find  that  their  attentions  are  not  entirely  con- 
fined to  each  other.  But  while  he  will  no  doubt  get  a  good  tossing, 
and  afterwards  may  be  rolled  in  the  snow  by  the  squaws,  it  is  all  done 
in  such  a  good-natured  way  that  it  is  impossible  to  take  offense. 

After  the  trails  are  worn  smooth  by  winter  travel,  bicycle  riding  is 
not  only  possible,  but  thoroughly  enjoyable.  The  smooth  surface  of 
the  trails  forms  an  ideal  track,  and  as  there  is  an  almost  continuous 
absence  of  wind  during  the  winter  season  it  is  hard  to  conceive  of  a 
healthier  or  more  exhilarating  form  of  exercise.  When  ice  first  formed 
on  the  Dall  River  in  the  fall,  we  had  splendid  skating  for  several 
weeks  until  the  surface  was  covered  b}T  snow.  During  this  period 
several  of  the  party  made  daily  excursions  into  the  interior  on  skates, 
arid  on  one  or  two  occasions  extended  their  trips  to  a  distance^of  25  or 
30  miles  upstream. 


177 

I  should  feel  better  pleased  if  I  could  end  at  this  point  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  different  methods  of  passing  the  time  during  the  long 
winter  months  in  Alaska;  but  candor  compels  me  to  state  that  there 
are  other  forms  of  amusement  and  recreation  indulged  in  by  a  certain 
class  of  persons  in  the  country  which  are  not  so  innocent  or  harmless. 

Both  at  Rampart  and  at  Tanana  dances  frequently  occur  which  are 
attended  by  a  mixed  assemblage  of  white  men  and  Indians  of  both 
sexes.  Respectable  white  women  seldom  or  never  attend  these  dances, 
and  in  the  absence  of  any  such  restraint  the  conduct  of  the  white 
men  is  too  often  a  disgrace  to  our  boasted  civilization. 

Left  to  themselves  the  native  women  are  not  essentially  lewd  or 
immoral:  but  in  the  larger  settlements  where  they  have  been  brought 
into  contract  with  a  certain  class  of  white  men,  their  easily  influenced 
natures  have  been  corrupted,  and  experience  has  showTn  that  in  the 
case  of  young  native  girls  years  of  careful,  tender,  and  Christian 
instruction  at  the  missions  may  prove  more  a  curse  than  a  blessing  if 
b}T  means  of  their  superior  education  and  cleanliness  they  attract  the 
attention  of  the  lecherous  and  unscrupulous  portion  of  the  white  com- 
munity. Once  having  departed  from  the  paths  of  virtue,  the  progress 
of  the  native  woman  is  swiftly  downward  until  the  lowest  depths  of 
sordid  licentiousness  and  repugnant  vice  is  reached.  It  is  no  exag- 
geration of  the  condition  of  the  relations  between  the  whites  and 
natives  of  the  interior  of  Alaska  to  state  that  nine-tenths  of  the 
immorality  and  social  degradation  of  the  native  women  can  be  directly 
traced  to  the  evil  influences  with  which  they  are  surrounded  at  these 
mixed  dances. 

MORALITY   AND   THE    LIQUOR   QUESTION. 

There  is  no  question  which  more  intimately  connects  itself  with  the 
morality  of  any  community  than  does  the  sale  and  use  of  intoxicating 
liquor,  and  when  it  is  examined  as  a  part  of  existing  social  conditions 
in  an  isolated  region  like  the  interior  of  Alaska  it  forms  not  only  an 
important  element,  but  is  the  very  essence  of  the  problem. 

The  licensed  sale  of  liquor  in  Alaska  has  been  defended  by  some 
moralists  on  the  ground  that  in  this  way  the  illicit  manufacture  and 
sale  of  the  article  has  been  stopped.  In  other  words,  an  act  which 
was  declared  to  be  reprehensible  and  punishable  by  law  if  committed 
under  certain  conditions  is  made  right  and  proper  by  legislation.  I 
doubt  very  seriously  the  truth  of  this  form  of  reasoning,  and  1  am 
confident  that,  so  far  as  the  native  population  is  concerned,  more  harm 
than  good  has  been  done  by  the  enactment  of  the  present  law. 

The  sale  of  liquor  to  the  Indians  of  Alaska  is  still  strictly  forbidden, 
but  it  goes  on  to-da}'  in  defiance — almost  in  contempt — of  the  law. 
The  truth  of  this  statement  is  evidenced  by  the  frequent  appearance 
on  the  public  streets  of  the  settlements  where  liquor  is  exposed  for 

5661—03 26 


178 

sale  of  intoxicated  native  men  and  women.  Evidence  sufficiently 
strong  to  convict  parties  guilty  of  this  crime  is  very  difficult  to  obtain, 
and  the  singular  omission  in  the  law  for  the  government  of  the  Terri- 
tory of  any  provision  for  the  arrest  and  punishment  of  an  Indian  for 
drunkenness  makes  it  almost  impossible  for  the  officers  of  the  law 
to  act. 

The  influence  of  the  several  church  missions  along  the  river  over  the 
Indians  is  good  so  far  as  it  goes,  and  to  the  careful,  painstaking  instruc- 
tion which  has  been  given  them  by  the  Christian  men  and  women  who 
are  devoting  their  lives  to  this  service  may  be  ascribed  whatever 
improvement  in  the  condition  of  the  native  tribes  that  has  taken  place 
since  they  have  been  in  contact  with  the  whites.  At  the  missions  and 
in  the  isolated  settlements  the  Indians  are  found  to  be  honest,  good- 
natured,  and  generous  as  a  class,  but  improvident,  fond  of  pleasure, 
and  extreme^  credulous.  With  such  characteristics  and  dispositions, 
and  when  free  from  the  restraining  influence  of  the  missionaries,  they 
become  easy  victims  of  the  white  man's  rapacity  and  lust. 

Until  very  recentty  illicit  intercourse  between  white  men  and  Indian 
women  in  the  country  was  by  no  means  uncommon.  The  social  posi- 
tion of  the  white  trader  or  trapper  who  had  a  native  "wife"  was  in  no 
way  injured  by  his  illicit  and  unlawful  manner  of  living.  This  con- 
dition of  societ}^,  always  disgraceful  and  demoralizing,  is  no  longer 
tolerable  in  a  community  in  which  virtuous  men  and  women  have 
come  to  form  a  part.  The  firm  hand  of  the  law  must  be  used  to  put 
down  the  lawless  and  degenerate  element  which  has  taken  advantage 
of  the  previous  laxit}^  of  public  morals  to  attempt  to  perpetuate  a 
social  condition  which  is  at  once  destructive  of  all  progress  and  a  foul 
disgrace  to  humanity. 

Both  at  Rampart  and  at  Tanana,  the  only  settlements  on  the  river 
where  liquor  is  exposed  for  sale,  drunken  orgies,  in  which  white 
men  and  native  women  openly  participated,  were  of  frequent  occur- 
rence during  the  winter  months.  On  one  occasion  a  native  woman 
became  so  intoxicated  by  liquor  which  had  been  given  her  by  white 
men  that  in  attempting  to  reach  her  home,  a  short  distance  from  the 
scene  of  the  debauch,  she  left  her  baby  on  a  sled  in  the  trail  and  it 
froze  to  death.  No  one,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  has  ever  been 
arrested  for  complicity  in  this  crime,  nor  have  I  ever  heard  that  any 
attempt  whatever  was  made  to  fix  the  responsibility  for  the  death  of 
the  child.  On  another  occasion,  at  Rampart,  during  the  progress 
of  one  of  the  mixed  dances  of  which  mention  has  been  made,  one  of 
the  white  men,  whose  relations  with  a  native  woman  of  the  town  were 
notorious,  seized  the  woman  and  carried  her  out  of  the  building  into 
the  principal  street  of  the  town,  where  he  was  joined  by  half  a  dozen 
boon  companions,  and  with  their  assistance  the  struggling  and  shriek- 
ing woman  was  borne  off  to  some  convenient  house  where  their  revels 


179 

could  be  continued  without  fear  of  interruption.  This  occurrence  was 
witnessed  by  a  score  of  people,  and  was  town  talk  for  several  days,  but 
I  have  yet  to  learn  that  any  notice  was  taken  of  it  by  the  local  officers 
of  the  law. 

In  a  conference  that  I  had  during  the  winter  of  1901  with  the  Hon. 
James  Wickersham,  who  was  at  the  time  the  presiding  judge  of  the 
third  division  of  the  district  court  of  Alaska,  the  present  condition  and 
future  prospects  of  the  natives  were  very  freely  discussed.  Judge 
Wickersham  agreed  with  me  that  the  promotion  of  their  best  interests, 
as  well  as  the  interests  of  the  whole  community,  morally  and  physically, 
demanded  the  immediate  suppression  of  that  portion  of  the  white  pop- 
ulation whose  vicious  conduct  if  allowed  to  continue,  will  undoubtedly 
end  in  the  ruin  of  the  Indian  and  in  the  destruction  of  all  law  and 
order  in  the  country.  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  state  that  subsequent 
action  taken  by  Judge  Wickersham  in  line  with  the  opinion  above 
expressed  had  a  most  salutary  effect  throughout  the  Territory,  and  it 
is  to  be  regretted  that  other  duties  called  him  to  another  field  of  action 
before  the  good  Avork  so  well  begun  could  be  carried  to  successful 
completion. 

GAMBLING. 

In  all  communities  in  which  the  majority  of  the  members  are  men 
of  the  kind  that  usually  go  to  make  up  a  mining  camp,  gambling  of 
some  form  or  other  is  usually  prevalent.  To  a  certain  extent  this  is 
true  of  Alaska,  although  the  vice  has  never  reached  a  larger  scale  in 
most  of  the  settlements  of  the  Yukon  Valley  than  the  indulgence  by  a 
party  of  friends  in  an  occasional  game  of  cards,  with  moderate  stakes, 
more  with  the  object  of  passing  away  the  time  than  as  a  means  of 
obtaining  a  living.  During  the  first  rush  of  gold  seekers  to  Rampart, 
when  a  large  population  was  attracted  to  the  place  by  the  supposed 
richness  of  the  adjacent  gold-bearing  country,  it  is  true  that  a  few 
professional  gamblers  opened  establishments  in  that  town  and  for 
a  while  conducted  a  flourishing  business.  But  later  developments 
showing  that  the  area  of  valuable  ground  in  the  vicinit}T  was  limited, 
the  floating  population  of  adventurers  deserted  the  place  to  seek  for 
gold  in  some  more  promising  fields,  and  with  them  departed  the 
gamblers.  At  the  present  time  the  only  evidence  of  gambling  to  be 
seen  along  the  Yukon,  in  that  portion  of  the  stream  covered  by  our 
observations,  is  an  occasional  table  in  a  saloon,  where  cards  are  some- 
times played  for  small  stakes  or  to  decide  who  shall  pay  for  the  drinks. 
The  business  men  of  the  community  are  singularly  free  from  the  vice, 
and  the  miners-*who  have  been  successful  in  locating  a  paying  claim 
are  too  bus}'  to  spend  their  time  in  this  form  of  amusement. 

Public  gambling  on  board  the  steamers  plying  the  river  is  strictly 
forbidden  by  the  managers  of  all  the  regular  companies.  It  is  some- 
times seen  on  A^essels  operated  by  independent  parties,  but  is  by  no 


180 

means  a  common  occurrence.  During  the  two  years  that  1  was  on 
duty  on  the  station  I  saw  gambling  going  on  openly  but  once  on  an 
American  vessel.  The  occasion  referred  to  was  at  the  time  when  the 
authorities  at  Dawson  compelled  all  of  the  so-called  "sporting  ele- 
ment" to  leave  that  city,  and  about  200  of  them  took  passage  on  one 
steamer  for  the  outside.  As  a  special  concession  to  them,  and  in  view 
of  the  fact  that  there  were  very. few  passengers  outside  of  their  class, 
the  master  of  the  vessel  allowed  games  of  chance  to  be  played  on  the 
way  down  the  river.  When  the  matter  was  reported  to  the  office  of 
the  company  at  St.  Michael,  the  master  and  every  one  of  the  officers 
of  the  vessel  who  had  been  responsible  for  this  leniency  in  enforcing 
the  rules  made  by  the  company  in  regard  to  gambling  were  summarily 
dismissed. 


CHAPTEK  VI. 


LAW  AND  ORDER. 


THE    COURTS    AND    THE    COURT   OFFICIALS. 

For  the  purpose  of  maintaining  order  and  for  the  punishment  of 
crime  bj^  civil  process  in  the  country,  the  Territory  has  been  placed 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States  district  court  for  the  dis- 
trict of  Alaska  which  is  subdivided  into  three  divisions,  each  one  hav- 
ing its  own  judge,  marshal,  and  district  attorney,  who  are  appointed 
by  the  President,  and  other  court  officers  who  are  appointed  by  the 
jud^e,  marshal,  and  district  attorney,  respectively,  as  is  customary  in 
other  United  States  courts. 

The  Yukon  Valley  and  adjacent  regions  comprise  the  third  division 
of  the  United  States  district  court  for  the  district  of  Alaska.  The 
court  is  required  by  law  to  hold  at  least  one  term  each  year  at  Eagle, 
and  the  judge  is  authorized  to  hold  such  additional  terms  at  other 
places  within  the  district  over  which  he  has  jurisdiction  as  he  may 
deem  necessary  and  expedient. 

Commissioners  of  the  court  and  deputy  marshals  are  appointed  to 
act  as  representatives  of  the  court  at  places  where  it  is  considered 
advisable  to  have  a  resident  peace  officer.  The  commissioners  so 
appointed  are  authorized  to  try  cases  and  render  decisions  in  affairs  of 
minor  importance,  and  the  duties  of  the  deputy  marshals  are  to  pre- 
serve order,  arrest  anyone  accused  with  the  commission  of  a  crime, 
and  to  serve  the  processes  of  the  court. 

The  district  court  of  Alaska  is  embraced  in  the  ninth  judicial  cir- 
cuit, and  appeals  from  the  decisions  of  any  of  its  judges  are  taken  to 
the  United  States  circuit  court  of  appeals,  either  at  San  Francisco, 
Seattle,  or  Portland,  Oreg.,  as  may  be  most  convenient  for  all  con- 
cerned; the  only  exception  to  this  course  of  procedure  being  in  the 
cases  in  which  appeals  may  be  taken  to  the  United  States  Supreme 
Court  at  Washington,  direct. 

miners'  meetings. 

Prior  to  the  organization  of  the  district  courts  of  Alaska  a  semblance 
of  law  and  order  was  maintained  and  disputes  were  settled  between 

181 


182 

contesting  parties  by  resort  to  a  sort  of  public  tribunal  called  a  ' '  miners' 
meeting."  The  composition  and  proceedings  of  some  of  these  quasi- 
judicial  bodies  were  often  eminently  respectable  and  dignified,  but  it 
more  frequently  happened  that  the  miners'  meetings  were  assemblages 
of  disorderly  persons  whose  decisions  were  manifestly  unjust  and  the 
whole  proceedings  were  so  irregular  as  to  cause  them  to  be  little  better 
than  examples  of  mob  rule.  This  method  of  settling  disputes,  espe- 
cially as  to  ownership  of  mining  claims,  has  always  been  a  favorite 
one  in  mining  communities  on  the  frontier,  and  is  still  in  vogue  in 
some  of  the  outlying  settlements.  Its  influeuce  is  gradually  becoming 
weaker,  however,  and  the  custom  is  dying  out  with  the  extension  of 
the  operations  of  the  regular  courts. 

THE    INFLUENCE    OF   THE    ARMY. 

The  presence  of  army  posts  along  the  river  and  at  all  of  the  princi- 
pal settlements  has  been  an  active  factor  in  the  preservation  of  good 
order.  The  policy  of  the  army  authorities  has  been,  however,  appar- 
ently to  assist  the  civil  authorities  rather  than  to  initiate  proceedings 
for  the  prevention  of  erime,  and  in  this  way  its  influence  has  been 
more  of  a  negative  than  a  positive  character.  The  legal  status  of  the 
Army  in  the  Territory  differs  from  that  it  has  in  other  parts  of  the 
country  in  this  respect:  The  officers  of  the  district  court  and  their 
deputies,  or  the  chief  executive  officer  of  any  municipal  government, 
are  authorized  by  law  to  call  upon  the  military  authorities  at  an}T  time 
for  a  posse  comitatus  composed  of  as  many  soldiers  as  may  be  deemed 
necessary  to  assist  the  civil  officer  in  the  execution  of  his  duty.  I  am 
informed  that  this  course  of  procedure  is  peculiar  to  Alaska,  it  being 
forbidden  by  law  to  use  the  Army  as  a  posse  comitatus  in  any  other 
State  or  Territory  of  the  Union.  It  is  possible  that  the  exclusion  of 
Alaska  from  the  operation  of  the  Federal  statute  in  regard  to  the 
employment  of  the  Army  for  this  purpose  may  have  been  a  wise  and 
beneficial  provision  to  meet  existing  conditions  at  the  time  of  the  sud- 
den influx  of  population  which  followed  the  discovery  of  the  rich  gold 
diggings  of  the  Klondike  region  in  1897,  and  before  the  organization 
of  the  present  form  of  civil  government.  But  with  the  increase  of 
population  and  the  assumption  of  civic  responsibilities  by  the  people 
in  all  of  the  larger  settlements,  it  is  questionable  if  the  necessity  of 
maintaining  the  present  status  of  the  Army  any  longer  exists.  With 
more  liberal  appropriations  for  the  support  of  the  civil  authority  and 
for  the  employment  of  a  larger  force  of  civil  officers  foi  the  execution 
of  the  laws,  it  is  probable  that  the  Army  could  be  relieved  of  a  duty, 
which,  to  say  the  least,  is  inconsistent  with  the  general  plan  of  gover- 
nment of  the  American  people. 


183 


INFLUENCE   OF   THE    CHURCH    MISSIONS. 

It  can  not  be  said  that  the  influence  of  the  several  church  missions 
along  the  river  has,  as  yet,  done  much  to  elevate  the  moral  status  of 
the  white  population  of  Alaska.  The  class  of  people  which  to  a  large 
extent  go  to  make  up  the  population  of  a  mining  community  do  not 
as  a  rule  take  an  active  interest  in  religious  matters,  and  in  fact  many 
persons  who  may  have  been  members  of  the  church  on  the  outside, 
tind  it  more  convenient  to  drop  all  semblance  of  religion  when  they 
enter  the  country.  This  lax  condition  of  public  morals  will  no  doubt 
be  improved  later  on  with  the  development  of  the  country  and  the 
consequent  increase  of  population.  The  influence  of  the  missionaries 
over  the  Indians,  however,  has  been  far-reaching  and  beneficial. 
Long  before  the  advent  of  the  officers  of  the  law,  the  lessons  of  love 
and  forbearance  taught  these  people  by  the  missionaries  had  taken 
deep  root  in  their  naturally  affectionate  and  generous  natures,  and 
wherever  the  Indians  have  been  brought  into  contact  with  the  mis- 
sions, they  have  become  law-abiding  and  peaceful.  There  is  no  fear 
that  these  inoffensive  people  will  ever  rise  against  the  whites  in  any 
organized  revolt,  and  even  individual  cases  of  premeditated  crime  are 
so  rare  among  them  that  they  may  be  passed  unnoticed.  I  am 
informed  by  the  prosecuting  officer  of  the  circuit  court  of  the  third 
division  in  Alaska,  that  out  of  some  50  cases  of  crime  which  were  on 
the  docket  of  the  court  at  its  last  term,  not  one  case  was  against  an 
Indian.  To  the  influx  of  white  people  and  to  that  circumstance  alone 
can  be  attributed  the  necessity  for  any  legal  restraint  on  the  native 
inhabitants  of  the  country. 

GENERAL   CONDITIONS. 

In  the  first  part  of  the  gold-hunting  epoch  in  Alaska,  from  the  year 
1885  to  1895,  crime  of  any  kind  was  almost  unknown  in  the  interior. 
But  with  later  developments  a  horde  of  irresponsible  adventurers 
have  entered  the  country  and  there  is  now  danger  that  unless  the 
strong  arm  of  the  law  is  kept  over  it,  this  region,  which  in  the  past  has 
enjoyed  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most  law-abiding  portions 
of  our  national  possessions,  may  yet  be  the  scene  of  violence  and  blood- 
shed. There  is  no  disguising  the  fact  that  crime  of  all  kinds  is  at  pres- 
ent rapidly  on  the  increase.  Ten  years  ago  the  contents  of  a  cache  or 
unoccupied  cabin  were  inviolate,  while  to-dav  petty  robberies  of  their 
contents  are  of  common  occurrence.  Not  only  are  thefts  of  food  com- 
mitted, but  in  many  cases  coming  under  our  observation  depredations 
on  property  had  been  committed  apparently  with  no  other  object  in 
view  than  to  gratify  the  desires  of  some  moral  pervert.  Numerous 
complaints  were  made  to  me  of  persons  who  had  broken  into  caches 


184 

and  unprotected  cabins,  and,  after  appropriating  to  their  own  use  what- 
ever they  wanted,  had  deliberately  thrown  articles  of  food  and  cloth- 
ing which  they  could  not  use  out  of  doors  to  be  ruined.  The  cabins 
of  the  mail  carriers  were  frequently  broken  into  and  the  supplies  of 
food  stored  there  for  the  use  of  the  carriers  stolen.  In  many  cases 
after  robbing  the  house  of  everything  of  value  it  contained,  the  robber 
would  end  his  work  by  the  commission  of  some  act  of  vandalism  which 
could  be  explained  in  no  other  way  than  as  the  expression  of  his  con- 
tempt for  all  the  laws  of  common  decency.  Dog  stealing  during  the 
winter  is  rapidly  on  the  increase  and  the  Indians  are  the  principal 
sufferers.  In  the  majority  of  the  cases  the  animals  are  enticed  away 
from  their  owners  by  travelers  who  pass  by  the  Indian  settlements  on 
their  way  up  or  down  the  river,  and  before  any  action  by  the  authori- 
ties is  possible  all  trace  of  the  thief  has  disappeared. 

When  the  river  opens  in  the  spring  many  of  the  travelers  by  sled 
are  left  without  means  of  continuing  their  journey,  and  much  com- 
plaint is  heard  of  the  loss  of  small  boats.  As  in  the  case  of  the  loss 
of  dogs,  it  usually  happens  that  before  communication  can  be  had 
with  the  authorities  to  apprehend  the  thief,  he  has  gotten  beyond  reach 
of  capture. 

Wood  stealing  by  unscrupulous  masters  of  passing  steamers  has  been 
mentioned  in  another  part  of  this  report.  This  crime  was  more  com- 
mon in  the  past  than  it  is  to-day,  and  with  the  more  effective  manner 
of  keeping  account  of  the  wood  along  the  river  b}^  the  large  companies 
it  is  becoming  easier  for  the  owners  of  wood  to  tell  what  steamer  took 
it.  It  frequently  happens  that  a  prospector  who  has  been  unsuccessful 
m  locating  a  paying  claim  will  devote  a  portion  of  the  winter  to  cut- 
ting wood  for  sale,  and  by  this  means  obtain  sufficient  money  to  pur- 
chase supplies  to  continue  the  search  for  gold.  Ever\^  effort  should 
be  made  by  the  Government  to  protect  this  class  of  settler  from  the 
depredations  of  dishonest  persons,  as  it  is  to  the  prospector  and  miner 
we  must  look  for  the  future  development  of  the  country. 

The  illicit  sale  of  liquor  to  the  Indians  is  not  only  carried  on  at  the 
settlements,  but  is  also  practiced  by  men  who  drop  down  the  river 
from  Dawson  in  small  boats  and  peddle  liquor  to  the  natives  at  the 
several  settlements  and  fishing  camps.  It  is  almost  impossible  to 
detect  this  class  of  lawbreakers,  as  the  Indians  will  not  act  as  inform- 
ers, and  as  long  as  the  law  is  in  its  present  state  they  can  not  be 
arrested  for  drunkenness  or  punished  in  any  way.  The  peddlers  of 
liquor  can  not  be  arrested  for  having  liquor  in  their  possession,  and 
the  only  way  to  check  this  illicit  traffic  is  to  require  a  more  stringent 
observance  of  the  law  in  regard  to  licenses  for  the  sale  of  liquor  in 
the  Territory  and  to  restrict  the  entry  of  liquor  from  Canadian  terri- 
tory in  such  a  way  as  to  prevent  small  importations.  In  the  absence 
of  any  effective  surveillance  of  the  river  at  the  boundary  line,  it  is 


185 

verv  easv  for  small  boats  loaded  with  Canadian  liquor  to  pass  our 
Wom-house  without  examination,  and  once  in  our  part  of  the  Terri- 

*Kl  "    * "--     :hj6  to  prevent  the  sale  of  this  liquor  to  the 

tory  it  is  almost  lmpoefea*.  -  of  the  ]aw  barged  with  the  preven- 

natives.     The  number  of  office/    ^nt[ve\y  too  small  for  the  purpose, 
tion  of  crime  in  the  Territory  is^  gr^  f\  hite  men  against  each  other 
Offenses  against  the  law  committed  by  w\c*     ^  marshals  of  the  courts 
are  steadily  on  the  increase,  and  the  few  dep^-r^-* ^*  means  of  ready 
scattered  through  the  districts,  and  lacking  suitable. A     o trending  to 
transportation  from  point  to  point,  are  kept  too  bus}    t;         .  :0  the 
their  duties  at  the  larger  settlements  to  pay  much  attention  t«    ^'^ 
isolated  communities.     For  this  reason  the  Indians  are  left  at  thv. 
mercy  of  the  unscrupulous  traders.     In  my  opinion  the  only  effective 
wa}T  of  breaking  up  this  traffic,  which  is  at  once  a  source  of  imminent 
danger  to  the  moral  and  physical  well-being  of  the  natives  of  Alaska 
and  a  disgrace  to  our  government  of  the  Territory    is  by  the  employ- 
ment of  a  number  of  small  steam  launches  stationed  at  various  points 
along  the  river,  and  placed  under  the  command  of  active  and  energetic 
officers  of  the  Revenue-Cutter  Service.     One  of  these  launches  should 
have   its   headquarters   at  Eagle  to  guard  the  boundary  line  which 
crosses  the  Yukon  near  this  point,  and  to  compel  all  vessels  and  boats 
arriving  from  Canadian  territory  to  report  at  the  custom-house  before 
proceeding  any  farther  into  the  territory^  of  the  United  States,  and 
from  two  to  three  other  launches  should  be  stationed  at  convenient 
points  farther  down  the  river  to  board  and  examine  all  vessels  and 
boats  and  to  supervise  all  traffic  in  the  districts  covered  by  them.     In 
addition  to  the  examination  of  all  vessels  and  boats  plying  on  the 
river,  these  launches  would  .furnish  ready  means  for  the  transporta- 
tion of  the  officers  of  the  law  from  point  to  point  when  necessary  to 
apprehend  criminals.     The  length  of  the  Yukon  River  and  its  many 
small  tributaries  makes  it  impracticable  for  the  whole  station  to  be 
properly  patrolled  by  one  vessel,  and  this  duty  could  be  much  better 
and  more  economically  performed  by  small  launches. 

Up  to  the  present  time  the  Federal  laws  requiring  that  all  holders 
of  public  lands  shall  be  citizens  of  the  United  States,  or  shall  have 
declared  their  intention  of  becoming  citizens,  have  not  been  enforced 
in  Alaska.  It  is  probable  that  the  precedent  established  b}T  the  Cana- 
dian authorities  in  permitting  locations  of  its  mining  ground  in  the 
Klondike  region  to  be  made  by  persons  without  regard  to  their  citi- 
zenship created  a  sentiment  in  favor  of  a  similar  concession  to  be 
made  to  the  prospectors  who  entered  our  territory  during  the  earlier 
days  of  the  search  for  gold.  If  this  sentiment  ever  prevailed  to  any 
extent  it  is  now  rapidly  dying  out,  and  public  opinion  is  now  decidedly 
in  favor  of  the  strict  enforcement  of  the  United  States  land  laws 
governing  the  acquisition  of  parts  of  the  public  domain. 


186 

It  is  probably  not  an  exaggeration  to  state  that  fully  75  per  cent  of 
the  litigation  over  mining  claims  in  Alaska,  and  especially  so  in  tV 
JNome  district,  has  been  caused  by  disputed  ow    "'  r-  /."  "'^ i    i 

were  originally  located  by  aliens:  Since  ^ershlP  ot  *«"  whlch 
United  States  required  afl  holders  of  -  *  the  J6ar  1865  the  W  °f  the 
the  United  States  or  to  havr  ^  **  *Hhe  publlC  knds  t0  be  cltlzens  of 
becoming  such.  Congress  U  declared  their  intention  in  due  form  of 
lation  confirmed  r  oJ — J  tn  nas  ^  numerous  subsequent  acts  of  legis- 
retain  for  its  .ia^nd  emphasized  the  intention  of  the  Government  to 
Courf  fr-  *ui  .^citizens  all  of  the  public  domain.  But  the  Supreme 
i'  wire  nas  recently  rendered  a  decision  which  for  the  time  being  prac- 
tically nullifies  the  evident  intention  of  the  law  as  far  as  Alaska  is  con- 
cerned. In  the  case  of  Tornanses  v  Melsing  et  al. ,  being  a  question 
of  ownership  of  a  claim  in  the  Nome  district,  the  circuit  court  of 
appeals  decided  that  the  fact  that  a  locator  of  a  mining  claim  is  an 
alien  can  not  be  made  the  basis  of  an  action  against  him  by  a  subse- 
quent locator  to  recover  possession  of  such  claim ;  the  question  of  the 
effect  of  his  alienage  on  the  validity  of  his  location  being  one  which 
can  not  be  raised  between  private  persons  to  which  the  United  States 
is  not  a  party.  In  the  present  condition  of  affairs  in  Alaska  it  is  not 
likely  that  the  question  of  title  to  a  mining  claim  will  ever  be  brought 
up  for  settlement  by  the  courts  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  the  United 
States  a  party  to  the  case.  This  would  only  come  up  where  a  survey 
and  actual  title  in  fee  to  the  land  would  be  desired,  but  the  very  nature 
of  placer  mining  makes  such  title  unnecessary.  A  possessory  title 
obtained  by  observance  of  the  regulations  in  regard  to  the  location  of 
mining  ground  is  all  that  is  sufficient  to  permit  anyone  to  hold  the 
property  in  undisturbed  possession  until  all  of  the  valuable  material 
can  be  extracted,  when  the  land  may  revert  to  the  United  States.  It 
is  believed  that  conditions  in  Alaska  have  now  arrived  at  the  state  as 
to  make  it  no  longer  necessary  to  encourage  immigration  by  a  relaxa- 
tion of  the  laws  in  regard  to  citizenship,  in  order  to  develop  the 
country,  and  the  more  thoughtful  portion  of  the  community  agree  in 
the  opinion  that  some  action  on  the  part  of  the  Government  is  now 
necessary  to  protect  its  interests  and  the  interests  of  its  own  citizens 
from  the  encroachments  of  alien  adventurers. 

Alaska  is  a  country  of  unknown  possibilities.  Its  mineral  resources 
are  inconceivably  great  and  as  }ret  but  hardly  touched.  Throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  this  wide  domain  almost  every  stream  carries 
its  burden  of  gold  and  its  mountains  are  seamed  with  nearly  every 
precious  metal  known  to  man.  In  the  short  space  of  four  years 
marvellous  changes  in  the  way  of  increased  facilities  for  transporta- 
tion have  taken  place  and  the  end  is  not  yet  in  sight.  In  a  year's 
time  Nome  and  the  settlements  of  the  great  Yukon  Valley  wil>  be  in 
telegraphic  communication  with  the  rest  of  the  world.  New  trails 
are   being   cut    through    the    dense    forests,  and    wagon   roads  are 


187 

beifig  built  in  every  direction;   and  where  a  few  years  ago  even  a 
summer^  trip  feeggh  this  country  was  undertaken  with  tear  and 
trembling,  men  now  start  *">«»  their  homes  in  the  out^de  world  at 
-  , ,  ,  .     -vnev  into  the  very  heart  of  Alaska  with 

any  season  ot  the  year  and  iom  ^->  111LU  L  * 

',•,,1  •  j-         '-fort  as  they  would  encounter  on  a 

as  little  inconvenience  or  discomlult  rt°        -  -        ,  .     . 

.   •      .,  i    at     •  \i       j  7-oad  has  been  built  and  is  in 

trip  through  Mexico.     Already  a  ram  v.   .    .       ,       41    .        .,  , 

^  ^  j  v    '^'   th«'  Alaskan  Alps,  and 

operation  oyer  the  snow-crowned  summit  ^    ...  .  .  v 

fu        u         i  •     *  ^   +  ±u     1.1     i      4.    xches  ot  barren 

others  nave   been  projected  to  cross  the  bleak  stre«>       .  „ 

country  which  lie    between  the  coast  and  the  great  im/  .  ,  .  * 

iin  a 
It  requires    no  effort  of   the    imagination  to    predict  that  witt 

very  few  more  years  thousands  of  people  will  be  able  to  reach  an , 
part  of  the  country,  where  gold  can  be  found,  in  a  few  days,  where  it 
now  takes  weeks  to  make  the  journey.  The  population  of  the  country 
will  undoubtedly  rapidly  increase  with  the  improvement  in  the  meth- 
ods of  communication  and  transportation,  and  with  that  increase  there 
will  come  the  necessity  for  better  and  more  stringent  laws,  to  be 
enforced  by  intelligent,  upright,  fearless,  and  incorruptible  public 
officials. 

Would  it  not  be  advisable  to  anticipate  this  necessity  and  to  have 
the  machinery  of  the  law  on  the  ground  and  in  good  working  condi- 
tion before  the  field  is  occupied  by  the  element  which  requires  this 
legal  restraint? 


rif 


dr 


,,r 


PAET    III. 

MINES  AND  MINING. 

Chapter    I.  MINERALS:  OCCURRENCE  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 
Chapter  II.  METHODS  OF  LOCATION  OF  CLAIMS,  ETC. 


189 


CHAPTER  I. 


MINES  AND  MINING. 


MINERALS. 


Gold,  silver,  copper,  and  coal  are  the  minerals  which  have  been  found 
in  Alaska  in  sufficient  quanity  to  pay  for  the  labor  and  expense  of 
extraction.  Platinum,  isinglass,  argentiferous  galena,  and  cinnabar 
are  known  to  exist,  but  the  field  has  not  yet  been  sufficiently  examined 
to  show  whether  these  are  in  sufficient  quanities  to  pay  for  the  work 
of  development.  Within  the  field  of  observation  covered  hy  this 
report  gold  is  the  only  one  of  the  above-named  minerals  which  has 
seriously  attracted  the  attention  of  prospectors  up  to  the  present  time. 
The  distribution  of  this  metal  and  the  methods  used  for  recovering 
it  from  the  mineralized  sands  and  gravels  throughout  the  Yukon  Valley 
may  not  be  out  of  place  in  this  report. 

OCCURRENCE   AND   DISTRIBUTION. 

The  mineralization  of  the  Yukon  anticline,  where  the  ancient  schists 
with  their  inclosed  quartz  veins  are  found,  is  intense  and  widespread. 
Exploration  of  this  vast  region  has  shown  that  gold  depositation  in 
paying  quantities  has  occurred  chiefly  in  the  districts  drained  by  the 
Klondike,  White,  Stewart,  and  Forty  mile  rivers,  all  of  which  flow 
in  the  Yukon  east  of  the  international  boundary  line  between  the  United 
States  and  Canadian  territory,  and  in  the  districts  drained  by  Birch 
and  Minook  Creeks,  the  northern  side  streams  of  the  Tanana,  and  the 
upper  waters  of  the  Ko}Tukuk  River,  flowing  into  the  Yukon  within 
the  territory  of  the  United  States.  Recent  exploration  by  prospect- 
ors of  the  Seward  Peninsula  shows  beyond  a  doubt  that  almost  the 
entire  portion  of  this  part  of  the  territory  is  intensely  mineralized, 
and  the  latest  authentic  reports  from  the  districts  contiguous  to  the 
Arctic  Ocean  in  the  vicinity  of  Good  Hope  Bay  would  point  to  the  fact 
that  some  of  the  creeks  in  this  locality  are  likely  to  prove  as  rich  as 
any  which  have  made  Nome,  on  the  southern  side  of  the  peninsula,  so 
famous.  The  Kougaruk  River,  which  flows  into  the  eastern  extension 
of  Port  Clarence  harbor  and  drains  a  large  portion  of  the  northern 

5661—03 27  191 


192 

part  of  the  peninsula,  has  proved  to  be  a  well  mineralized  district, 
and  gold  in  paying  quantities  has  been  found  on  nearly  all  of  the  creeks 
which  flow  into  Golof  nin  Bay  in  the  eastern  part.  Good  prospects  have 
also  been  obtained  from  the  creeks  which  flow  into  Bering  Sea  in  the 
vicinity  of  Cape  York,  but  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  getting  supplies 
into  the  region,  and  the  fact  that  more  flattering  prospects  were 
reported  from  other  portions  of  the  country  shortly  after  the  Cape 
York  district  was  opened  up,  but  little  has  been  done  in  this  locality 
to  develop  these  claims. 

During  an  exploration  made  by  the  writer  in  the  year  1884  of  the 
Kowak  River,  which  flows  into  the  Arctic  Ocean  at  Hotham  Inlet, 
gold  was  discovered  in  the  sand  bars  of  the  river  by  the  party  and 
reported.  Subsequent  search  for  the  precious  metal  on  this  stream 
has  shown  that  the  northern  side  streams  carry  gold  in  considerable 
quantity,  but  like  other  remote  regions  it  has  not  been  well  prospected. 
The  upper  waters  of  the  Kuskokwim  have  recently  attracted  consid- 
erable attention  among  the  mining  prospectors,  and  during  the  winter 
of  1901  a  stampede  to  this  region  took  place  from  St.  Michael  and  the 
Yukon  Valley.  But  little  prospecting  was  done  at  that  time,  and  the 
suffering  of  the  stampeders  was  so  great  that  for  a  time  nearly  every- 
one deserted  the  region  Later  reports  from  the  few  remaining  pros- 
pectors on  this  stream  state,  however,  that  very  good  prospects  have 
been  found  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  north  fork  of  the  river  in  the 
foothills  of  Mount  McKinley ,  and  there  is  a  well-defined  belief  among 
those  who  are  familiar  with  the  country  that  this  region  will  ultimately 
prove  rich  ground  for  the  placer  miner. 

A  glance  at  the  map  will  show  from  the  above  summary  that  the 
distribution  of  gold  in  central  Alaska  is  known  to  embrace  all  that 
portion  of  the  territory  included  between  the  sixty-third  and  sixty- 
sixth  degrees  of  north  latitude,  and  the  one  hundred  and  thirty -eighth 
and  one  hundred  and  sixty-eighth  meridians  of  west  longitude.  Within 
this  region  there  are  many  localities  where  geological  conditions  are 
similar  to  those  in  which  gold  has  been  found  but  which  as  yet  have 
not  been  prospected  owing  to  the  lack  of  transportation  facilities. 
There  seems  to  be  no  reason  why  these  localities  should  not  under 
different  conditions  prove  to  be  as  richly  mineralized  as  the  districts 
adjacent  to  Nome  or  the  Klondike.  On  the  contrary,  there  is  every 
reason  to  suppose  that  with  the  growing  up  of  the  country  many  of 
these  districts  which  are  now  inaccessible  will  prove  to  be  immensely 
rich  in  the  precious  metal. 

In  support  of  this  statement  the  present  and  past  conditions  in  the 
Koyukuk  River  region  may  be  cited  as  an  example.  Long  before  the 
discovery  of  gold  on  the  Klondike  a  few  hardy  prospectors  had  found 
gold  in  the  sands  of  the  Koyukuk,  but  in  such  small  quantities  that 
the  richer  fields  of  the  Upper  Yukon  had  caused  almost  everyone  to 


193 

abandon  the  Koyukuk  diggings  and  stampede  to  the  newer  fields. 
The  more  persistent  ones  who  remained  worked  on  with  very  little 
encouragement  and  in  the  face  of  obstacles  which  would  have  appalled 
any  but  the  most  determined  and  courageous  seeker  after  the  hidden 
wealth.  After  almost  ten  }Tears  of  search  news  has  just  been  received 
that  coarse  gold  has  been  at  last  discovered  on  some  of  the  creeks  and 
tributaries  of  the  middle  fork  of  the  Koyukuk  lying  well  within  the 
Arctic  Circle,  and  from  authentic  sources  comes  the  report  that  in  one 
or  two  districts,  notably  so  on  Hammond  and  Emma  creeks,  a  large 
number  of  claims  have  proved  to  be  as  valuable  as  any  claims  in  any 
other  portion  of  the  territory. 

METHODS   OF   PROSPECTING   AND   LOCATING    A   CLAIM. 

Except  in  a  few  favored  localities,  the  labor  of  prospecting  for  gold 
in  Alaska  is  arduous  in  the  extreme,  and  should  not  be  attempted  by 
anyone  who  is  not  physically  able  to  undergo  a  prodigious  amount  of 
hardship  and  exposure.  Contrary  to  the  usually  accepted  belief,  the 
intense  cold  of  the  Arctic  winter  months  is  not  the  chief  obstacle  to  be 
overcome  by  the  prospector.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  travel  across  the 
country  is  more  difficult  and  arduous  during  the  summer  months  than 
it  is  in  winter.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  make  any  progress  over 
the  moss-covered  tundra  plains  of  the  Seward  Peninsula  or  any  of 
the  districts  contiguous  to  the  coast  except  where  trails  have  been 
made,  and  in  the  interior  the  most  of  the  country  is  traversed  b}^  small 
streams,  dotted  with  innumerable  shallow  lakes  and  overgrown  by 
impenetrable  thickets,  which  makes  traveling  even  without  a  load 
extremely  difficult.  For  this  reason,  travel  during  the  summer  season 
is  almost  exclusively  confined  to  movement  by  water.  As  will  be 
explained  later,  the  most  favorable  localities  for  prospecting  are,  as  a 
general  thing,  situated  on  the  small  tributary  streams  and  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  head  waters  of  the  large  rivers,  and  in  order  to  reach 
these  places  and  at  the  same  time  carry  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  sup- 
plies to  enable  the  prospector  to  spend  some  time  on  the  ground  he 
must  journey  to  them  during  the  winter  season. 

It  is  neither  safe  nor  advisable  for  anyone  to  go  on  a  prospecting 
trip  of  any  extent  alone.  A  partner  is  not  only  desirable  but  is 
almost  a  necessity  in  this  country,  where  the  slightest  kind  of  an 
accident  is  likely  to  prove  fatal  unless  immediate  help  is  at  hand.  For 
this  reason  prospecting  in  Alaska  is  usually  done  on  the  cooperative 
plan,  and  the  party  may  consist  of  from  two  to  a  dozen  members. 
Having  settled  upon  the  district  within  which  it  is  proposed  to  search 
for  gold,  the  party  starts  for  the  scene  of  its  labors  as  early  in  the 
winter  as  possible,  so  as  to  be  on  the  ground  before  the  short  days  of 
midwinter  set  in. 


194 

The  first  thing  to  do  after  reaching  the  district  in  which  work  is  to 
be  done  is  to  build  suitable  houses  for  the  shelter  of  the  party  and  to 
serve  as  a  base  for  future  operations.  Then  the  real  work  of  pros- 
pecting the  ground  begins.  This  is  usually  deferred  until  the  cold 
weather  sets  in  and  freezes  up  the  streams  and  springs  solid.  Select- 
ing the  most  likely  looking  locality  for  operations,  a  hole  is  sunk 
through  the  frozen  muck  and  gravel  to  bedrock,  generally  near  to  the 
banks  of  some  stream  where  a  good  supply  of  water  can  be  obtained 
for  washing  out  the  sand  and  gravel  in  case  good  ' 4  pay  dirt "  is  discov- 
ered, and  as  the  work  of  excavation  goes  on  samples  of  the  excavated 
dirt  are  examined  from  time  to  time  by  thawing  it  out  and  washing 
it  by  hand  in  a  miner's  pan.  If  sufficient  gold  is  recovered  in  this 
way  to  indicate  that  the  ground  will  pay  to  work,  a  claim  is  staked  out 
by  each  one  of  the  party  as  hereinafter  described  and  the  rest  of  the 
winter  is  spent  in  getting  out  as  much  of  the  "pay  dirt"  as  possible 
before  the  opening  of  spring  unseals  the  streams  and  renders  further 
work  on  the  "dump"  impossible.  Should  bedrock  be  reached  with- 
out discovering  sufficient  gold  in  the  dirt  to  make  it  a  paying  proposi- 
tion, another  location  is  selected  and  the  work  of  excavation  and  exam- 
ination of  the  ground  is  continued.  Success  in  this  kind  of  work  does 
not  always  follow  because  one  is  simply  persistent.  There  is  probably 
no  other  profession  in  which  the  element  of  chance  or  good  luck  enters 
so  largely  as  in  that  of  the  prospecting  miner;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  failure  to  find  gold  in  paying  quantities  in  the  first  location 
made  should  not  be  accepted  as  proof  that  no  gold  exists  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity.  The  richest  claim  on  little  Minook  Creek  was  not 
developed  and  its  possibilities  discovered  until  after  some  forty  holes 
to  bedrock  had  been  sunk  by  the  locaters.  In  this  case  sheer  per- 
sistence and  indefatigable  labor  won  fortune  for  the  prospectors,  but  on 
the  same  stream  and  but  a  short  distance  separated  from  the  paying 
claim  other  parties  worked  equally  hard  and  apparently  with  an  equal 
amount  of  good  judgment  and  never  obtained  enough  gold  to  pay 
for  their  "grub  stake." 

If  a  prospector  desires  to  lay  claim  to  placer  mining  ground,  he  must 
first  of  all  satisfy  himself  that  gold  is  present,  as  this  is  a  necessary  legal 
qualification  in  order  to  insure  title  to  same.  Having  satisfied  himself 
in  this  particular  he  proceeds  to  set  stakes  at  the  four  corners  and  at 
the  center  of  the  claim,  as  required  by  law,  to  define  its  limits,  and 
within  thirty  days  after  the  original  location  he  must  enter  the  claim 
at  the  nearest  land  office,  giving  an  exact  description  of  the  locality  as 
far  as  may  be  possible,  and  must  produce  witnesses  to  prove  all  of  the 
statements  made  by  him  as  to  the  location,  date  of  discovery,  actual 
presence  of  gold,  etc.  After  paying  the  fees  demanded  by  the 
recorder  of  the  district  he  will  be  in  a  position  to  hold  his  claim  for 
one  year  after  the  1st  of  January  next  after  the  date  of  his  location, 


MINERG  STARTING   OUT  ON   A   PROSPECTING   TRIP  IMMEDIATELY  AFTER  THE  ANNUAL 
BREAK-UP  OF   ICE   IN   THE  SPRING  OPENS  THE   RIVER  TO  BOAT   NAVIGATION. 


PROSPECTING   FOR   GOLD  ON   A  RIVER   BAR   IMMEDIATELY  AFTER  THE  SUBSIDENCE  OF  THE 

SPRING   FLOODS. 


v°fTrt«iTf 


TYPICAL  MINERS'  WINTER  QUARTERS  ON  A  MINERALIZED  GULCH  OF  THE  YUKON  ANTICLINAL. 
The  photograph  is  a  view  of  Wolverine  Gulch  in  the  Tanana  country. 


if  I lf  Iff  ill    I 


H: 


«****. 


P«^. 


TYPE  OF  SMALL  RIVER   STEAMER,    USED   BY    PROSPECTORS,    IN   WINTER   QUARTERS. 


195 

without  any  further  work  on  the  claim.  If,  however,  he  neglects  to 
put  a  certain  amount  of  development  work  on  the  claim  after  the 
lapse  of  the  time  specified,  his  title  to  it  becomes  forfeited  and  the 
claim  is  open  to  reentry  or,  in  other  words,  it  may  be  "jumped." 

The  original  discoverer  of  gold  on  any  stream  is  allowed  to  enter  two 
claims  in  his  name,  but  all  subsequent  locators  are  allowed  only  one 
claim  in  sa\y  mining  district.  The  original  locator's  claim  is  called 
"discovery  claim,"  and  the  others  are  numbered  1,  2,  3,  etc.,  "above 
discovery  "  or  "  below  discovery,"  as  the  case  may  be.  Besides  his  own 
claim,  any  person  is  entitled  by  law  to  enter  claims  for  others  by 
power  of  attorney,  and  as  the  number  of  claims  that  may  be  entered 
in  this  way  by  one  person  is  unlimited,  the  custom  has  given  rise  to 
an  immense  amount  of  dissatisfaction  to  the  mining  fraternity  in 
Alaska  owing  to  the  abuse  which  has  been  made  of  the  privilege. 

In  order  to  form  a  mining  district  there  must  be  at  least  six  per- 
sons present  duly  qualified  by  law  to  locate  mining  ground.  If  six  or 
more  persons  desire  to  form  a  district,  a  recorder  must  be  chosen 
from  among  the  persons  present,  a  set  of  books  opened,  and  all  the 
requirements  of  law  as  regards  the  entering  of  claims  for  title  ob- 
served in  the  same  way  as  if  the  proceedings  were  held  before  the 
recorder  of  a  regularly  established  land  office. 

The  size  of  claims  in  any  mining  district  is  determined  by  the 
majority  of  the  miners  forming  the  district,  but  in  no  case  can  they 
be  larger  than  allowed  by  the  Federal  statute,  nor  can  any  regulation 
made  by  the  miners  as  regards  the  holding  of  title  to  or  working  the 
claims  which  will  conflict  with  the  United  States  laws  be  legally 
enforced.  As  a  general  thing  a  placer  mining  claim  is  1,000  feet  long, 
measured  along  the  bed  of  the  stream,  and  its  end  lines  extend  from 
"rim  rock"  to  "rim  rock"  across  the  valley  of  the  stream  upon  which 
the  location  is  made.  Bench  claims  are  situated  on  the  sidehills  above 
the  valley  claims,  and  are  numbered  consecutively  up  and  downstream 
from  discovery  claim  to  coincide  as  to  length  with  the  latter. 

The  amount  of  development  work  which  a  locator  must  do  each 
year  on  his  claim  is  determined  by  the  miners  themselves,  but  must 
not  be  less  than  an  amount  which  will  cost  $100.  In  some  cases  the 
development  work  includes  the  labor  and  cost  of  building  houses  and 
other  necessary  work  outside  of  actual  development  of  the  ground, 
while  in  other  places  a  miner  must  sink  one  or  more  holes  to  bed  rock 
each  year  in  order  to  hold  possession  of  his  claim. 

As  has  been  already  stated,  travel  overland  during  the  summer  sea- 
son is  attended  by  so  many  difficulties  that  summer  prospect  work 
throughout  the  country  is  almost  exclusively  confined  to  those  sections 
which  are  accessible  by  boat.  The  best  time  for  this  kind  of  pros- 
pecting is  immediately  after  the  subsidence  of  the  spring  freshets  in 
the  streams  has  left  the  bars  and  beaches  bare  for  examination.     When 


196 

this  period  arrives,  the  prospector,  after  loading  a  boat  with  supplies 
to  last  hini  during  the  trip,  enters  the  stream  to  be  prospected  and 
works  his  way  upstream  by  pulling  or  poling  his  boat  against  the  cur- 
rent, meanwhile  carefully  "panning  out"  the  sands  and  gravels  found 
on  the  bars  and  beaches  for  evidences  of  gold.  As  a  usual  thing  if  the 
region  drained  by  the  stream  is  mineralized,  gold  in  the  form  of  minute 
particles  or  "colors"  will  be  found  mixed  with  the  fine  sand  after  it 
has  undergone  the  process  of  washing  in  the  pan.  Some  of  these 
"colors"  are  hardly  larger  than  a  pin  point  and  the  novice  might 
easily  allow  them  to  pass  off  with  the  waste  material  as  worthless. 
Other  small  particles  of  scarcely  appreciable  thickness,  which  from 
their  small  bulk  as  compared  with  their  surface  subside  very  slowly 
when  suspended  in  water,  are  readily  carried  off  by  the  action  of  the 
current  or  the  movement  of  the  water  in  the  miner's  pan,  and  so  are 
lost.  This  is  called  "scale"  or  "float"  gold  by  the  miners,  and  is 
very  difficult  to  save  except  by  the  use  of  quicksilver.  If  "colors" 
continue  to  be  seen  as  progress  is  made  upstream  and  the  size  of  the 
particles  increase,  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  the  prospector  is  on  the 
right  path  which  will  ultimately  lead  him  to  the  locality  from  which 
the  gold  originally  started  on  its  journey  downstream.  If,  however, 
the  "colors"  disappear  from  the  sands  of  the  main  stream,  some  other 
source  of  its  origin  must  be  sought.  The  tributary  streams  entering 
the  main  river  immediately  above  the  position  where  "colors"  were 
discovered  should  now  be  examined,  and  if  they  are  found  to  be 
"blank,"  or  barren,  the  prospector  must  bring  to  his  aid  any  knowl- 
edge of  geology  which  he  may  possess  in  order  to  account  for  the 
presence  of  gold  in  the  main  stream.  Local  conditions  must  be  care- 
fully studied,  and  it  is  possible  that  an  examination  of  the  local  topog- 
raphy will  result  in  the  discovery  of  some  old  channel  of  the  river  far 
removed  from  its  present  bed  and  that  an  investigation  of  its  old  sand 
and  gravel  beds  will  show  that  the  greater  portion  of  the  mineralization 
of  the  region  took  place  prior  to  the  change  in  the  course  of  the  river. 
In  this  connection  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  occurrence  of 
gold  in  the  sands  of  a  river  does  not  necessarily  mean  that  its  origin 
is  close  at  hand.  As  a  matter  of  fact  it  may  be  of  somewhat  remote 
derivation.  Many  of  the  old  gravel  terraces  and  glacial  deposits  con- 
tain gold,  and  when  these  are  dissected  it  finds  its  way  into  the  river 
bars  and  is  concentrated  in  the  usual  way.  As  the  river  channels  have 
been  subject  to  various  changes  of  position  throughout  the  ages  of 
geological  evolution  and  the  old  terraces  often  bear  no  relation  to  the 
present  system  of  drainage,  it  is  evident  that  the  mere  presence  of 
gold  in  the  bars  can  not  be  accepted  as  conclusive  evidence  that  the 
region  drained  by  the  present  river  channel  is  mineralized. 

A  fair  knowledge  of  geological  conditions,  past  and   present,  is 
undoubtedly  of  value  to  the  prospector,  and  while  it  is  true  that  in  the 


197 

search  for  gold  a  person  perfectly  ignorant  of  the  subject  may  and 
frequently  does  stumble  on  a  rich  deposit  of  the  metal,  while  his  more 
intelligent  competitor  may  never  discover  anything  of  value,  this 
should  not  deter  anyone  from  acquiring  knowledge  of  certain  well 
established  geological  laws,  and  in  the  end  the  better  informed 
searcher  will  prove  the  more  successful  in  his  work,  other  qualifica- 
tions being  equal. 

The  best  conditions  for  the  deposition  of  gold  in  placers  are  usually 
found  in  the  narrow  valleys  of  mountain  streams,  where  the  work  of 
erosion  has  been  most  thorough,  and  where  the  more  rapid  movement 
of  the  water  has  carried  off  the  lighter  portions  of  the  eroded  material 
and  left  the  heavier  particles  of  mineralized  matter  deposited  on  the 
floor  or  "bedrock"  of  the  valley.  In  time  these  intensely  mineralized 
deposits  are  covered  with  successive  layers  of  silt  and  debris,  which 
act  as  constant  screens  or  seives  through  which  the  heavier  portions 
of  later  accretions  are  gradually  sifted  to  the  bottom.  The  rapid 
current  of  the  torrential  streams  which  are  strong  enough  to  carry 
down  the  channels  large  bowlders  naturally  also  bears  away  with  it 
a'l  but  the  coarsest  kind  of  gold.  This  in  time  is  either  formed  into 
u  nuggets"  of  a  more  or  less  rounded  shape,  which  find  lodgement  in 
the  crevices  and  reefs  of  the  bed  of  the  stream,  or  else  is  reduced  by 
attrition  into  the  form  of  "dust,"  and  is  finally  deposited  on  the  bars 
and  beaches  of  the  larger  and  less  rapidly  flowing  rivers.  The  fact 
that  gold  is  never  found  in  the  sands  of  rivers  where  the  current  is 
sluggish  is  proof  positive  that  its  origin  is  in  the  quartz  veins  of  the 
mountain  ranges,  and  it  is  simply  a  waste  of  time  for  the  prospector  to 
search  for  gold  except  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the  more  elevated  por- 
tions of  the  country. 

In  prospecting  a  stream  it  follows,  from  what  has  been  stated  in 
regard  to  the  action  of  the  current  in  bearing  away  the  eroded  mate- 
rial which  has  been  derived  from  the  adjoining  hills,  that  the  actual 
bed  of  the  stream  is  not  likely  to  contain  any  gold  except  the  very 
heaviest  kind  of  nuggets.  It  is  therefore  customary  to  sink  holes  to 
bed  rock  through  the  muck  and  gravel  deposits  which  form  the  banks 
of  the  stream  where  indications  of  the  presence  of  gold  have  been 
discovered.  If  the  character  of  the  gold  is  coarse  enough  to  warrant 
a  search  of  the  bed  of  the  stream,  its  course  may  be  changed  by  a 
method  called  "wing  damming,"  which  will  be  hereafter  described. 
The  character  of  the  gold  found  on  bed  rock  of  a  stream  will  show 
the  experienced  miner  what  it  is  likely  to  be  in  its  channel  bed,  and 
from  this  he  will  be  able  to  determine  the  advisability  of  undertaking 
the  labor  of  recovering  the  precious  metal  by  diverting  the  channel  in 
the  manner  indicated. 

Throughout  Alaska  two  chief  kinds  of  mineralized  deposits  are 
found,  namely,  auriferous  quartz  veins  travering  slates  of  Silurian  age 


198 

which  are  in  close  relation  with  masses  of  diorite  and  other  eruptive 
rocks,  and  gold-bearing  drifts  of  Pleistocene  date  derived  from  the 
degradation  of  the  older  strata.  In  the  gold-bearing  sands  and  gravels, 
magnetic  quartz,  platinum,  garnet,  hematite,  and  chromic  iron  are  com- 
monly found,  and  in  most  of  the  alluvial  deposits  the  remains  of  the 
mastodon  and  other  mammalian  fossils  are  often  discovered  at  depths  of 
from  40  to  60  feet  below  the  surface.  On  some  of  the  sea  beaches, 
notably  so  at  Nome  and  Topkok,  the  mechanical  action  of  the  ocean 
waves  on  the  comminuted  material  which  has  been  derived  from  the 
adjacent  hills  has  resulted  in  the  formation  of  well-defined  strata, 
from  one-half  to  two  inches  thick,  composed  almost  entirely  of  garnet 
or  the  so-called  "ruby"  sand,  carrying  a  large  percentage  of  free 
gold,  while  the  overlying  and  underlying  strata  of  common  sand  are 
devoid  of  mineral.  So  much  has,  from  time  to  to  time,  been  said  in 
regard  to  proposed  plans  for  dredging  the  bottom  of  the  sea  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  gold-bearing  beaches  of  Nome,  that  it  may  be  as  well 
to  state  that  there  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  the  presence  of  gold  in 
the  sands  of  the  beaches  at  this  place  can  be  accounted  for  in  no  other 
reasonable  way  than  that  it  has  been  brought  down  from  the  interior 
by  the  streams  flowing  into  the  sea,  and  as  the  land  in  the  vicinity  is 
gradually  increasing  in  elevation  instead  of  decreasing,  there  is  no  good 
reason  for  supposing  that  there  is  any  gold  whatever  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  present  stages  of  low  water.  The  fact  that  the  gold-bearing 
sands  are  only  found  fronting  the  present  and  past  flood  plains  of  the 
Snake  River  is  additional  proof  that  the  gold  originated  in  the  hills 
and  mountains  drained  by  that  stream  and  its  tributaries.  It  is  there- 
fore my  opinion  that  any  project  for  dredging  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  gold-bearing  beaches  will  result  in  failure  to 
secure  any  appreciable  amount  of  the  metal. 


CHAPTER  II. 


PLACER  MINING. 


LOCATING    THE    "  PAY-STREAK." 

After  locating  a  placer  mining  claim  and  securing  title  to  it  by  hav- 
ing* it  properly  recorded,  the  first  work  to  be  done  is  to  locate  the 
<bpay  streak"  or  deposit  of  mineralized  material  which  will  pay  the 
miner  for  the  necessary  work  of  extraction.  This  is  done  by  sinking 
a  hole  from  1  to  6  feet  long  by  3  feet  wide  to  bed  rock,  or  until  a 
stratum  of  goid-bearing  sand  or  gravel  is  reached  which  is  rich  enough 
to  satisfy  the  miner,  who  then  proceeds  to  excavate  all  of  the  rich 
material  by  digging  lateral  tunnels  or  ifc drifts"  from  the  shaft  and 
hoisting  the  excavated  material  to  the  surface  and  depositing  it  in 
what  is  called  a  "dump."  Frequent  resort  is  had  to  the  miner's  pan  as 
the  work  progresses  to  test  the  richness  of  the  "pay  dirt,"  and  by  this 
means  the  relative  value  of  the  excavated  material  can  be  ascertained, 
and  also  whether  the  miner  is  still  working  in  the  proper  direction, 
or  if,  as  frequently  happens,  the  "pay  streak  "  has  become  too  small 
to  be  of  any  value,  or  "pinches  out."  When  this  happens  a  new 
direction  is  taken,  or,  if  bed  rock  has  not  been  reached,  the  shaft  is 
sunk  still  lower  until  another  pay  streak  is  discovered  or  bed  rock  is 
reached. 

As  the  heavier  particles  of  gold  invariably  sink  toward  the  bottom 
of  the  material  which  forms  the  contents  of  the  valley  in  which  it  is 
found,  it  follows  that  the  richest  pa}'  streak  is  at  or  near  bed  rock. 
This  ma}'  be  4  feet  and  may  be  100  feet  from  the  surface,  but  in  the 
interior  of  Alaska  the  average  distance  to  bed  rock  is  about  35  feet. 
The  material  through  which  the  shaft  must  be  sunk,  however,  varies 
in  different  localities  to  such  an  extent  that  the  mere  thickness  of  the 
superposed  layer  of  soil  is  not  of  so  much  importance  as  the  ease  with 
which  the  excavation  can  be  made. 

SINKING   A   SHAFT. 

As  a  rule  the  soil  of  all  the  placer  mining  ground  throughout  Alaska 
is  superposed  by  a  covering  of  moss,  grass,  and  decayed  vegetation, 
which  must  be  first  cleared  away  or  "stripped"  before  actual  work 
of  excavation  can  be  begun.     When  this  has  been  done  and  the  first 

199 


200 

layer  of  earth  removed  the  soil,  at  a  distance  of  from  2  to  3  feet 
beneath  the  surface,  will  be  found  to  be  frozen  solid,  and  some  means 
of  thawing  it  out  must  be  emploj^ed  before  further  progress  can  be 
made.  In  the  earl}7  days  of  mining  in  this  region  the  frozen  ground 
was  softened  by  heat  obtained  from  burning  wood.  At  the  end  of  the 
day's  work  a  pile  of  dry  wood  was  first  laid  on  the  ground,  a  fire 
started,  and  the  pile  covered  over  with  green  wood  so  as  to  retain  as 
much  of  the  heat  as  possible  and  left  to  burn  until  the  miner  was  ready 
for  work  the  next  day.  The  remains  of  the  fire  was  then  removed 
and  the  softened  earth  thrown  or  hoisted  out  of  the  shaft.  This  pro- 
cess was  repeated  day  by  day  until  a  "pay  streak"  or  bed  rock  was 
reached.  If  it  was  ascertained  that  the  first  "  pa}T  streak"  encountered 
was  sufficiently  rich  to  warrant  working  it  out  before  going  deeper,  a 
tunnel  or  "drift"  was  excavated  and  the  "pay  dirt"  hoisted  to  the 
surface  by  alternately  heating  and  digging  the  thawed  material  along 
the  course  of  the  "pay  streak"  by  the  same  means  as  were  employed 
to  sink  the  shaft.  Latterly  this  tedious  and  expensive  process  has  been 
almost  entirely  superseded  by  the  use  of  steam  instead  of  fire  as  a 
means  of  thawing  the  frozen  ground.  A  portable  boiler  for  supplying 
steam  is  set  up  on  the  claim  as  near  the  position  of  the  proposed  shaft 
as  possible,  and  by  means  of  pipes  the  steam  is  applied  to  the  frozen 
surface  until  it  is  sufficiently  softened  to  admit  of  being  handled  with 
the  pick  and  shovel.  An  ingenious  contrivance  by  which  the  steam 
from  the  main  pipe  is  divided  into  several  jets  or  " points"  is  now  in 
common  use,  and  by  this  means  not  only  is  the  area  of  operations  more 
definitely  defined,  but  the  operator  has  a  greater  control  over  the 
thawing  agent  than  is  possible  when  heat  is  supplied  by  burning  wood. 
The  work  of  excavation  can  be  carried  on  much  more  rapidly,  and  the 
accumulation  of  noxious  gases  is  entirely  avoided. 

VENTILATION    AND   LIGHTING. 

If  the  '  *  pay  streak "  extends  any  distance  from  the  shaft  the  air  in 
the  tunnels  is  liable  to  become  dangerous  from  the  emanations  of 
poisonous  gases  from  the  earth  and  foul  from  the  exhalations  of  the 
workmen  themselves.  Ventilation  is  secured  by  sinking  additional 
shafts  to  intersect  the  line  of  the  tunnel  in  which  work  is  going  on, 
and  as  the  workings  are  seldom  in  very  deep  ground,  this  method  of 
securing  a  supply  of  pure  air  is  usually  effective. 

The  tunnels  are  lighted  by  candles,  which  are  secured  to  the  walls  by 
means  of  the  ordinary  iron  candlesticks  in  common  use  by  the  miners 
in  other  localities  while  working  underground. 

HOISTING  GEAR. 

The  excavated  material  is  hoisted  to  the  surface  in  buckets  by  means 
of  a  hand  windlass,  or  by  the  use  of  steam-hoisting  machinery  in  case 
this  can  be  obtained. 


PROSPECTORS  WHIPSAWINQ   LUMBER   FOR  SLUICE   BOXES. 


PARTY  ABOUT  TO   LEAVE  THEIR   PERMANENT  WINTER   QUARTERS  ON   A   PROSPECTING  TRIP. 


201 

PERIOD   OF   UNDERGROUND   OPERATIONS. 

The  excavation  of  the  gold-bearing  sand  and  gravels  is  begun  as 
soon  after  the  freezing  cold  of  winter  weather  has  sealed  up  the  streams 
and  subterranean  springs  as  possible,  and  is  continued  until  the  com- 
ing of  warm  weather  in  the  spring  with  its  attendant  floods  effectually 
puts  a  stop  to  further  work  in  this  direction.  Before  the  larger 
streams  which  are  to  furnish  the  necessary  water  for  washing  out  the 
"  dump  "  are  clear  of  ice,  the  subterranean  springs  generally  force  the 
miners  to  discontinue  work  in  the  shafts  and  tunneis  by  flooding  them, 
and  there  is  a  period  of  from  two  to  three  weeks  intervening  between 
this  time  and  the  time  when  the  "clean-up"  is  made.  The  miners 
take  this  opportunity  to  build  their  flumes  and  sluice  boxes,  and  in 
placing  them  in  position  for  future  operations. 

SLUICE   BOXES. 

Two  kinds  of  sluice  boxes  are  in  common  use  in  Alaska.  On  small 
claims  and  for  experimental  work  those  made  of  three  pieces  of  lumber 
fastened  together  in  the  form  of  an  open  trough,  from  10  to  12  feet 
long  by  12  inches  wide,  and  fitted  with  transverse  cleats  or  "riffles" 
nailed  to  the  bottom,  are  most  generally  seen.  But  for  more  effective 
use  preference  seems  to  hold  with  the  Hungarian  sluice  box,  which  has 
a  row  of  poles  laid  lengthwise  on  the  bottom  of  the  box  and  separated 
from  each  other  a  distance  of  about  an  inch.  Underneath  the  poles,  at 
the  upper  end  of  the  box,  there  are  placed  transversely  a  few  small 
u  riffles"  to  catch  and  hold  the  finer  portions  of  the  washed  material  as 
it  runs  down  the  sluice.  The  boxes  are  about  12  feet  long  and  have 
one  end  slightly  smaller  than  the  other  in  order  that  they  may  be 
joined  together  into  a  long  line  or  "  string."  Trestles  are  built  for 
supporting  the  boxes,  and  an  inclination  of  about  1  inch  to  the  foot 
of  length  is  given  the  "string"  to  insure  a  rapid  movement  of  the 
water.  In  order  to  secure  a  supply  of  water  a  flume  must  be  built 
leading  from  some  distance  upstream  to  the  head  of  the  sluice,  or  a 
portion  of  the  stream  itself  can  be  diverted  by  "wing-damming"  so 
as  to  flow  into  the  boxes.  The  "riffles"  will  ordinarily  catch  all  of 
the  heavier  particles  of  gold,  but  in  order  to  save  the  very  fine  "dust" 
and  "float  gold"  metal  plates  coated  with  quicksilver  are  placed  at  a 
slight  inclination  against  the  upper  side  of  the  "riffles,"  and  by  this 
means  nearly  all  of  the  valuable  material  ma}r  be  saved. 

THE    "CLEAN   UP." 

By  the  first  week  in  May,  the  mountain  streams  are  clear  of  ice  and 
the  accumulated  pile  of  "paj-dirt"  in  the  "dump"  is  thawed  out  by 
the  warm  sunshine  so  that  it  can  be  easily  handled.  Water  is  turned 
into  the  sluice  and  the  work  of  washing  the  gold  from  the  sand  and 


202 

gravel  begins.  Men  stand  at  the  dump  and  shovel  the  dirt  into  the 
upper  box  of  the  ' ;  string  "  and  others  keep  the  sluice  clear  of  the  larger 
sized  bowlders  by  "forking"  them  out  and  throwing  them  aside. 
When  the  "riffles"  are  filled  with  the  concentrated  gold-bearing  sands, 
the  work  of  "shoveling  in"  ceases  long  enough  to  enable  the  miners 
to  remove  the  contents  of  the  boxes,  and  then  it  is  resumed  until 
another  "clean-up"  is  necessaiy  or  the  material  in  the  "dump"  is 
exhausted.  The  material  recovered  from  the  boxes  is  then  still  fur- 
ther concentrated  by  panning  until  only  the  pure  gold  remains,  and 
this  in  the  form  of  "dust"  is  ready  for  shipment  or  for  use  as 
currency. 

ROCKERS. 

Where  the  quantity  of  sand  or  gravel  to  be  washed  is  too  small  to 
warrant  the  construction  of  sluice  boxes,  the  miner  has  recourse  to  a 
double  -bottomed  box  fitted  with  two  rockers  and  a  handle  b}T  which  the 
mineralized  material  can  be  agitated  and  the  gold  separated  from  the 
worthless  portion  with  which  it  is  mixed.  There  are  many  different 
kinds  of  rockers  in  use,  but  the  general  principle  of  their  construction 
is  the  same  in  all  the  different  types.  The  upper  bottom  or  tray  of 
the  appliance  is  the  receptacle  into  which  the  dirt  is  thrown,  accom- 
panied by  a  liberal  amount  of  water,  and  the  whole  is  kept  in  a 
continual  state  of  agitation  by  means  of  an  upright  handle.  This 
movement  causes  the  heavier  portions  of  the  contents  of  the  tray  to 
sink  and  pass  through  perforations  in  its  bottom  onto  an  inclined  plat- 
form fitted  with  "riffles"  which  catch  and  hold  the  gold  in  the  same 
way  as  is  done  in  the  sluice  boxes.  The  rocker  is  especially  adapted 
for  use  by  two  men  working  together,  but  is  too  slow  a  process  and 
too  wasteful  of  material  to  be  used  except  as  a  makeshift  or  where  it 
is  impossible  for  any  reason  to  construct  a  regular  sluice. 

PANNING. 

The  miner's  pan  is  perhaps  the  most  important  part  of  his  outfit  in 
the  field,  as  without  it  and  a  knowledge  of  how  to  use  it,  but  little  can 
be  done  in  the  way  of  prospecting.  It  is  generally  made  of  thin  iron 
plate  and  is  from  14  to  16. inches  in  diameter  and  about  3  inches  deep, 
with  flaring  sides.  In  practice  the  pan  is  filled  with  "pay-dirt,"  and 
during  the  first  part  of  the  operation  of  washing  the  material  the  pan 
is  held  just  below  the  surface  of  the  stream  and  by  a  peculiar  gyratory 
and  tilting  motion,  which  is  hard  to  describe,  the  miner  gradually  causes 
all  of  the  lighter  portions  of  the  dirt  to  be  washed  out  of  the  pan, 
leaving  only  the  gold  and  heavier  portions  of  the  sand  at  the  bottom. 
He  now  lifts  the  pan  from  the  water  and  with  just  enough  water  in 
it  to  enable  him  to  keep  the  contents  in  motion  he  skillfully  separates 


203 

the  particles  of  gold  from  the  rest  of  the  material  until  with  a  quick 
motion  the  latter  is  floated  over  the  edge  of  the  pan  and  the  gold  alone 
remains.  During  the  winter  season  when  water  is  scarce  and  it  is 
necessary  to  use  the  pan  to  ascertain  the  value  of  the  sand  and  gravel 
which  is  being  taken  out  of  a  claim,  the  frozen  material  must  be  taken 
into  the  miner's  cabin  or  tent  and  first  thawed  out.  Considerable  skill 
is  necessary  to  get  the  best  results,  or  even  to  make  a  satisfactory  test 
of  the  dirt  with  the  small  amount  of  water  which  is  available  under 
these  circumstances.  As  it  is  sometimes  impossible  for  the  novice  to 
discover  the  presence  of  gold  in  dirt  which  may  be  very  rich  in  the 
mineral,  owing  to  the  minute  size  of  the  particles,  it  would  be  well  for 
the  prospective  gold  seeker  to  acquire  some  knowledge  of  panning 
before  he  ventures  into  the  country. 

GROUND   SLUICING. 

In  "shallow  ground,"  or  where  the  pay  dirt  is  found  to  be  very  near 
the  surface,  it  sometimes  happens  that  local  conditions  make  it  possi 
ble  to  wash  the  sand  and  gravel  without  having  to  first  sink  shafts 
and  tunnel -the  pay  streaks.  This  is  done  by  cutting  channels  across 
the  claim  and  turning  water  into  them,  and  so  washing  the  worthless 
material  away  and  leaving  the  gold  in  the  form  of  a  deposit  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  ditch.  Ground  sluicing,  however,  is  never  resorted  to  when 
it  is  practicable  to  build  sluice  boxes  and  wash  out  the  gold  in  the  regu- 
lar way. 

STRIPPING. 

The  preliminary  work  of  clearing  off  the  moss,  grass,  and  muck 
which  is  usually  found  to  overlie  all  of  the  gold-bearing  deposits  in 
Alaska  is  technically  called  "stripping"  the  claim. 

DRAINAGE. 

In  many  localities  there  are  subterranean  springs  encountered  in  the 
shafts  and  tunnels  which  do  not  freeze  up,  even  in  the  very  coldest 
weather.  These  springs  are  generally  called  "glaciers"  by  the 
miners,  and  sometimes  are  of  such  extent  as  to  seriously  interfere  with 
the  prosecution  of  the  work  of  development  of  the  claim.  In  the 
absence  of  any  pumping  machinery  it  is  sometimes  found  to  be  neces- 
sary to  run  a  tunnel  in  from  some  point  downstream  from  the  seat  of 
operations  at  the  level  of  the  bed  rock  and  use  this  means  to  drain  the 
upper  levels  of  the  mine. 

CROSS  CUTTING. 

In  prospecting  a  claim,  if  gold  is  not  discovered  when  bed  rock  is 
reached,  the  most  thorough  manner  of  determining  the  location  of  the 
pay  streak,  if  there  be  any,  is  to  start  from  the  bottom  of  the  shaft 


204 

and  run  a  tunnel  at  the  level  of  the  bed  rock  directly  across  the  claim. 
This  is  known  as  "  crosscutting "  a  claim,  and  it  is  without  doubt  the 
hardest  work  which  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  miner,  but  it  is  the  surest 
and  quickest  way  of  determining  the  value  of  his  claim. 

ASSAY    VALUE   OF   GOLD   DUST. 

The  term  "dust"  in  mining  regions  is  taken  to  mean  particles  of 
gold  from  the  size  of  a  pin  head  up  to  the  largest  kind  of  nuggets,  and 
its  assay  value  differs  considerably  in  different  localities.  As  a  general 
thing  the  "dust"  taken  from  the  claims  in  American  territory  is  more 
valuable  than  that  found  in  the  Klondike.  This  is  due  in  part  to  the 
fact  that  the  Klondike  "dust"  is  more  or  less  impregnated  with  mag- 
netic sand  which  it  is  difficult  to  get  rid  of  in  the  ordinary  manner,  but, 
aside  from  this,  the  metal  itself  does  not  have  as  high  assay  value  as 
that  found  either  at  Minook  or  at  Nome.  The  Minook  "dust"  passes 
as  currency  throughout  Alaska  for  an  average  of  $2  per  ounce  more 
than  that  from  the  upper  river,  and  that  at  Nome  is  probably  slightly 
more  valuable  than  "dust"  found  at  any  other  portion  of  the  territory. 
In  exchange,  the  Minook  "dust"  is  valued  at  $18  and  the  Klondike 
"dust"  at  $16  per  ounce.  A  large  quantity  of  low-grade  "dust," 
popularly  known  as  "tramp  dust,"  is  in  circulation  in  the  country  and 
is  valued  at  $14  per  ounce.  Gold  found  on  the  Koyukuk  and  Tanana 
rivers  is  generally  classed  with  Minook  gold  as  to  value,  but  it  is  not 
so  clean  or  bright  as  the  latter  except  in  the  smaller-sized  particles. 
Much  of  the  gold  taken  from  the  claims  at  Nome  is  so  discolored  by 
iron  stains  that  it  would  be  readily  overlooked  by  the  inexperienced 
prospector,  but  the  stain  is  superficial  and  the  true  color  of  the  metal 
is  easily  ascertained  by  slightly  scratching  the  surface. 

A   PAYING   CLAIM. 

After  panning  out  a  sufficient  amount  of  dirt  on  a  claim  to  ascertain 
the  average  value  of  the  gold  contained  in  one  pan  of  material,  the 
question  of  whether  it  will  pay  to  develop  it  is  one  which  must  largely 
depend  upon  the  locality  in  which  the  ground  is  situated.  The  cost 
of  supplies  and  transportation,  amount  of  timber  and  water  available, 
and  the  amount  of  gold-bearing  material  probably  in  place  will  have 
to  be  considered  before  the  prospector  finally  makes  up  his  mind  to 
work  the  claim.  In  all  places  where  provisions  can  be  obtained  through- 
out the  year  with  a  reasonable  amount  of  certainty  within  100  miles' 
travel  of  the  claim  it  is  customary  to  call  dirt  which  will  average  5  to 
10  cents  to  the  pan  "good  pay."  Miners'  wages  in  unsettled  districts 
are  generally  reckoned  at  $10  per  day,  and  if  the  dirt  which**,  miner 
can  wash  out  in  one  day  will  not  average  at  least  that  amount  it  will 
not  pay  him  to  work  his  claim.     On  the  other  hand,  with  improve- 


205 

ments  which  are  constantly  being  made  in  mining  methods,  and  a  bet- 
ter knowledge  of  local  conditions  which  experience  has  given,  it  is 
now  claimed  that  a  claim  which  turns  out  dirt  averaging  3  cents  to  the 
pan  can  be  worked  at  a  good  profit.  It  must  not  be  understood  from 
the  above  that  a  miner  can  afford  to  wash  out  such  low-grade  dirt  b}T 
hand.  In  order  to  make  wages  by  handling  material  which  does  not 
run  higher  than  10  to  15  cents  to  the  pan,  the  most  efficient  methods 
ot  recovering  the  precious  metal  must  be  used — that  is  to  say,  by  the 
use  of  sluice  boxes,  with  an  abundant  supply  of  running  water. 

WAGES   OF   HELPERS. 

The  rate  of  pay  of  men  employed  in  the  mines  depends  to  a  large 
extent  upon  local  conditions,  but  will  average  about  $10  per  day,  or 
from  $6  to  $8  per  day  and  board.  In  the  case  of  a  claim  where  the 
work  of  development  has  shown  that  it  contains,  beyond  a  reasonable 
doubt,  a  sufficient  amount  of  mineralized  material  to  warrant  the 
owner  in  employing  help  to  work  on  regular  wages,  this  course  is 
generally  pursued.  But  if  the  claim  is  one  in  which  development 
work  has  not  been  carried  so  far,  or  where  the  amount  of  the  mineral- 
ized material  in  place  is  a  matter  of  doubt,  it  is  customary  for  the 
owner  to  enter  into  an  agreement  with  his  helpers  whereb}T  a  certain 
portion  of  the  claim  is  assigned  to  each  individual  for  development, 
the  proceeds  of  which  after  the  "  clean-up"  is  made  to  be  divided 
between  the  owner  and  each  individual  on  terms  previously  agreed 
upon.  When  a  claim  is  worked  in  this  way  each  subdivision  is  called 
a  "lay,"  and  the  helper  is  known  as  a  "layman."  The  terms  under 
which  a  "lay"  is  worked  vary  in  different  localities  and  are  naturally 
subject  to  various  local  conditions.  As  a  general  thing  the  "  laymen  " 
are  allowed  from  10  to  60  per  cent  of  the  net  proceeds  of  the  gold 
which  is  recovered  from  the  portions  of  the  claim  which  have  been 
developed  by  their  labor. 

QUARTZ    MINING. 

Up  to  the  present  time  but  little  attention  has  been  paid  to  the 
development  of  the  quartz-mining  industry  in  the  Yukon  Valley. 
This  feature  of  mining  will  doubtless  be  taken  up  after  the  rich 
placers  have  been  exhausted  and  the  facilities  for  the  importation  of 
mining  machinery  into  the  country  have  been  increased.  Already 
prospectors  have  located  ledges  of  gold-bearing  quartz  at  several 
points  adjacent  to  the  Yukon  which  give  promise  of  good  returns  in 
the  future,  and  with  later  developments  there  is  every  reason  for 
believing  that  the  country  will  ultimately  support  a  large  and  stable 
population  engaged  in  this  form  of  employment. 


PART    IV. 

ETHNOLOGICAL  NOTES. 

Chaptfr    I.  HABITS  AND  CUSTOMS. 
Chapter  II.  LANGUAGE. 


207 


^ 


CHAPTER  I. 


HABITS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


FIELD    OF   OBSERVATIONS. 

The  cruising  ground  of  the  Nunivah  extended  from  St.  Michael,  on 
the  coast  of  Norton  Sound,  to  Dall  River,  a  northern  tributary  of  the 
Yukon  which  enters  that  stream  about  1,000  miles  upstream  from  its 
mouth.  The  nature  of  our  duties  made  it  necessar}T  to  take  the  ves- 
sel to  St.  Michael  for  a  short  visit  each  year  during  the  season  of 
open  navigation,  at  which  time  the  Eskimos  of  the  coast  were 
encountered  and  their  habits  and  customs  noted  by  the  officers  of  the 
command;  but  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  the  year  was  spent  in  the 
region  traversed  by  the  Yukon  River,  where  we  were  brought  into 
contact  with  the  Indian  inhabitants  of  that  river  and  of  its  tributary 
streams. 

The  Eskimos  with  whom  we  came  into  contact  number  in  all  about 
300  people,  distributed  in  several  small  settlements  from  St.  Michael 
along  the  coast  southward  to  the  Aphoon  mouth  of  the  Yukon  River 
and  up  that  stream  a  distance  of  from  300  to  400  miles,  where  they  disap- 
pear and  are  replaced  by  the  Ingalik  or  Indian  tribes  of  the  interior. 

The  Eskimos  eke  out  a  miserable  and  precarious  existence,  catching 
fish  and  seal  during  the  months  of  open  navigation  and  in  hunting 
and  trapping  what  game  can  be  found  on  the  tundra  plains  adjacent 
to  the  coast  during  the  winter.  At  St.  Michael  a  few  of  the  Eskimos 
add  to  their  scanty  means  of  support  by  manufacturing  articles  of 
native  clothing  and  trinkets — mostly  carved  out  of  ivory  and  bone — 
for  sale  to  the  whites,  and  to  a  very  limited  extent  by  employment  as 
laborers  with  the  trading  companies  doing  business  in  the  country. 

Theii  habitations  are  squalid,  ill-ventilated,  and  evil-smelling  abodes, 
made  by  excavating  a  portion  of  the  ground  and  covering  the  space 
with  a  roof  formed  of  driftwood,  over  which  is  placed  a  thick  layer 
of  loose  earth  and  moss  or  grass.  During  the  winter  season,  while 
absent  from  their  regular  villages  on  their  hunting  trips,  they  live  in 
tents  or  temporary  shelters  made  of  snow,  called  igloos.  Their  condi- 
tion is  almost  without  exception  one  of  continuous  hardship  and  expo- 

209 


210 

sure,  and  their  lives  are  spent  in  an  environment  of  wretched  and 
hopeless  poverty. 

The  recent  influx  of  white  people  into  the  country  has  done  nothing 
to  improve  their  moral  or  physical  well-being,  but,  on  the  contraiy, 
by  bringing  them  into  competition  with  a  more  energetic  and  better 
equipped  race  in  the  pursuit  of  game,  this  source  of  obtaining  a  live- 
lihood is  threatened  with  extinction,  and  unless  some  means  of  relief 
is  had  in  the  near  future  it  is  feared  that  the  very  existence  of  these 
people  will  be  seriously  imperiled. 

In  former  years  all  these  northern  tribes  have  suffered  from  peri- 
odic epidemics  of  disease,  which,  for  the  time  being,  rendered  whole 
communities  helpless  and  exposed  them  to  the  horrors  of  starvation. 
Latterly  these  epidemics  appear  to  have  increased  in  frequency,  and 
during  the  last  two  or  three  years  it  has  not  been  an  uncommon  occur- 
rence for  whole  villages  to  be  completely  wiped  out  by  the  ravages  of 
disease  and  the  effects  of  starvation  combined.  Mention  has  already 
been  made  in  this  report  of  the  suffering  of  the  natives  from  an  epi- 
demic of  measles  and  pneumonia  during  the  summer  of  1900  and  the 
advisability  of  some  sort  of  governmental  intervention  for  their  relief. 
In  my  opinion  much  of  the  suffering  from  sickness  among  the  natives 
has  been  caused  by  the  introduction  of  disease  by  the  immigrating 
white  population,  and  relief  can  not  be  afforded  except  through  the 
adoption  of  some  systematic  plan  by  the  Federal  Government. 

The  habits  and  customs  of  the  Eskimos  have  been  so  well  described 
by  other  writers  whose  opportunities  for  observation  were  so  much 
better  than  my  own,  that  it  would  seem  to  be  a  work  of  superogation 
to  attempt  to  add  in  this  report  anything  to  the  stock  of  knowledge 
which  we  already  possess  on  this  subject,  and  for  that  reason  I  will 
confine  myself  to  a  description  of  the  tribes  living  in  the  interior, 
whose  comparative  isolation  from  the  ordinary  routes  of  travel,  and 
the  fact  that  in  the  course  of  our  duty  we  were  more  intimately 
brought  into  contact  with  them,  make  it  more  probable  that  a  descrip- 
tion of  their  daily  life  may  not  be  uninteresting. 

After  the  vicinity  of  Holy  Cross  Mission  has  been  reached  on  the 
Yukon  the  character  of  the  country  changes  from  that  of  a  flat  and 
treeless  region,  which  is  the  characteristic  feature  of  the  delta  lands  of 
the  lower  river,  to  that  of  a  semi-wooded  and  mountainous  country 
traversed  by  many  small  streams  more  or  less  well  stocked  with  fish 
and  game.  At  this  point  the  native  population  of  the  country  is 
distinctly  different  in  character  from  that  of  the  coast,  and  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  for  ages  these  two  peoples  have  been  in  constant 
communication  with  each  other  for  the  purpose  of  interchanging  their 
respective  commodities,  their  racial  peculiarities  have**  remained 
unchanged.  The  condition  of  the  Indian  tribes  of  Alaska  is  much 
better  than  that  of  the  Eskimos  of  the  coast,  and  the  readiness  with 


fa 

■  /-.., 

GROUP  OF   ESKIMOS,    NORTHWEST  COAST  OF  ALASKA. 


ESKIMO  GIRL  OF  COAST  OF   NORTHWEST  ALASKA,   SHOWING   TATOO 
MARKS'tJN    FACE. 


211 

which  they  adopt  civilized  methods  of  living  encourages  the  hope 
that  with  proper  instruction  and  protection  these  people  may  3  et  be 
brought  within  the  pale  of  a  comparatively  high  state  of  existence  and 
become  useful  and  prosperous  citizens  of  our  northern  province. 

ORIGIN. 

While  it  is  hardly  within  the  scope  of  this  report,  nor  is  it  my 
intention  to  attempt  to  add  to  what  is  already  known  of  the  origin  of 
the  native  inhabitants  of  the  interior  of  Alaska,  it  may  not  be  out  of 
place  to  state  that  similarity  of  language,  traditions,  and  racial  char- 
acteristics furnish  strong  evidence  of  the  fact  that  all  the  Indian  tribes 
at  present  inhabiting  the  great  interior  valleys  of  the  Yukon  anti- 
clinal belong  to  that  great  American  linguistic  stock  known  as  the 
Athabaskans,  of  Avhich  the  Apaches,  Chepewyans,  Sioux,  and  in  fact 
nearly  all  of  the  western  and  northern  tribes  of  North  American 
Indians  form  subfamilies.  The  ease  with  which  migrations  might 
have  been  made  into  this  region  from  the  eastward  and  southward, 
when  compared  with  the  difficulties  of  travel  which  would  have  been 
encountered  b\T  the  wandering  tribes  in  traversing  the  bleak  and 
almost  impassable  heights  of  the  Alaskan  Alps  which  separate  the 
Yukon  Valley  from  the  coast  of  northwest  Alaska,  makes  it  highly 
improbable  that  any  extensive  population  of  the  region  under  consid- 
eration was  made  by  migrations  from  this  direction. 

But  mere  speculation  of  the  origin  of  the  native  tribes,  while 
undoubtedly  of  some  value  in  the  consideration  of  plans  for  their  bet- 
terment, is  not  of  so  great  importance  in  a  work  of  this  character 
as  is  information  of  their  present  condition  and  environment,  and 
for  this  reason  I  will  confine  myself  to  that  particular  aspect  of  the 
subject. 

POPULATION,  PHYSICAL   CHARACTERISTICS,  HABITS,  AND   CUSTOMS. 

The  Indians  of  the  Yukon  Valley  coming  within  the  range  of  our 
observations  live  in  small  communities  or  villages  of  from  25  to  300 
people,  situated  for  the  most  part  on  or  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the 
shores  of  the  principal  rivers,  where  the  prospects  of  hunting  and 
fishing  are  most  favorable,  and  number  in  all  about  3,500  souls.  Their 
largest  fixed  settlements  are  at  or  near  the  different  church  missions 
and  stations  of  the  trading  companies  along  the  river,  but  owing  to 
their  semi-nomadic  manner  of  living  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  obtain 
accurate  statistics  in  regard  to  their  actual  numbers.  The  figures 
given  are  taken  from  the  report  of  the  last  Government  census,  made 
in  the  year  1900,  and  they  agree  fairly  well  with  our  own  estimates, 
which  were  necessarily  made  under  conditions  which  were  not  so 
favorable  for  accuracv  of  enumeration. 


212 

In  appearance  the  Indians  of  the  interior  are  superior  to  the  Eskimos 
of  the  coast,  and  the  farther  up  the  river  one  proceeds  the  more  notice- 
able becomes  this  superiority.  This  fact  is  to  a  great  extent  attribut- 
able to  the  adoption  by  the  Indians  of  civilized  methods  of  living  and 
to  the  general  use  by  them  of  civilized  articles  of  wearing  apparel, 
while  the  Eskimos  cling  persistently  to  the  native-made  fur  garments, 
which  are  frequently  much  the  worse  for  wear,  clumsy  in  design,  and 
seldom  becoming. 

The  features  of  the  Indians  are  also  more  pleasing  and  conform  more 
nearly  to  our  ideas  of  physical  beauty  than  do  those  of  the  Eskimos. 
This  is  especially  noticeable  in  the  case  of  the  }rounger  women  and 
children,  among  whom  one  fre  mently  sees  individuals  who  are  really 
beautiful.  In  both  tribes  the  signs  of  old  age  rapidly  appear,  and  the 
rigors  of  the  arctic  climate  and  the  trying  vicissitudes  of  a  life  spent 
in  a  constant  struggle  for  existence  leaves  on  the  faces  of  all  the  inef- 
faceable traces  of  suffering  and  hardship.  Obesit}T,  as  a  trait  of  old 
age,  is  almost  unknown  among  these  people.  After  the  active  period 
of  life  has  passed  the\r  appear  to  lose  flesh,  and  as  a  rule  the  very  old  are 
extremely  thin  and  wasted  looking,  the  result;  no  doubt,  of  the  gradual 
decline  of  their  powers  of  recuperation  after  periods  of  suffering  from 
lack  of  a  sufficient  quantity  of  nourishing  food,  which,  owing  to  their 
general  habits  of  improvidence  in  times  of  plenty,  are  of  frequent  and 
regular  occurrence. 

HABITATIONS. 

Throughout  the  river.region  the  Indians  now  live  in  well-constructed 
log  houses,  heated  by  sheet-iron  stoves  and  lighted  by  coal-oil  lamps  and 
glazed  windows.  The  houses  are  no  longer  built  partly  underground, 
as  in  former  years,  and  in  fact  do  not  differ  materially  from  those 
occupied  by  the  white  population  of  the  country.  They  are  univer- 
sally made  with  one  room,  which  is  occupied  by  the  entire  family  as  a 
living  and  work  room.  The  furniture  usually  consists  of  one  or  more 
roughly  made  platforms,  upon  which  are  laid  fur  robes  or  blankets  to 
serve  as  beds,  benches  for  seats,  and  a  table  upon  which  the  food  is 
placed  for  eating. 

The  natives  of  the  Yukon  Valley  have  adopted  in  their  entirety  the 
white  man's  method  of  cooking  and  preparing  their  food,  and  their 
repugnance  to  anything  in  the  way  of  food  which  is  objectionable 
from  the  point  of  view  of  civilized  people  is  in  strong  contrast  with 
some  of  the  disgusting  habits  of  the  Eskimos  of  the  coast  and  delta 
region  of  the  river. 

The  Indians  remain  in  their  winter  villages  until  the  days  grow  long 
enough  in  February  to  permit  them  to  travel  over  the  little-usecLirails 
leading  from  the  river  into  the  hills,  when  they  leave  their  winter 
quarters  and  start  out  on  their  annual  hunting  and  trapping  trips  in 


TYPE  OF   ESKIMO  WOMAN   OF  THE  COAST  OF   NORTHWEST  ALASKA. 


TYPE  OF  ESKIMO  BOY,   COAST  OF   NORTHWEST  ALASKA. 


213 

the  interior.  During  this  period  and  until  the  coming  on  of  the  suc- 
ceeding winter  the}'  live  in  thin  cotton  drilling  tents  or  temporary 
shelters  made  of  brushwood  covered  with  birch  bark  to  exclude  the 
rain. 

SETTLEMENTS. 

As  has  been  previously  stated,  the  principal  Indian  settlements  are 
situated  at  or  in  the  vicinity  of  the  white  settlements,  but  there  are 
a  number  of  small  villages  situated  at  somewhat  remote  places  on  some 
of  the  sloughs  of  the  main  river,  where  the  conditions  in  regard  to 
abundance  of  fish  or  game  make  the  site  particularly  desirable.  In  no 
case,  however,  coming  under  our  observation  do  the  Indians  lead  soli- 
tary lives.  They  are  exceedingly  gregarious  by  nature  and  seem  to 
have  a  deep-rooted  objection  to  living  apart  from  their  fellows. 
Numerous  cases  came  to  our  knowledge  of  single  families  who  gave 
up  comfortable  log  houses  and  went  to  live  in  tents  during  the  very 
coldest  weather  of  midwinter  in  order  to  be  near  their  friends,  and  in 
one  case  an  old  man  and  his  wife  who  were  living  near  our  station  at  Dall 
River,  and  whose  movements  were  hampered  by  the  care  of  a  helpless 
son,  who  was  slowly  dying  of  consumption,  put  the  invalid  on  a  sled 
and  hauled  him  over  the  trail  a  distance  of  20  or  30  miles  to  a  hunting 
camp  in  the  hills  rather  than  be  left  alone.  In  this  case  the  sick  man 
was  receiving  the  daily  attention  of  our  surgeon,  and  the  whole  family 
was  being  supported  by  voluntary  contributions  of  food  from  the 
JVunivak,  but  neither  of  these  inducements  nor  any  arguments  which 
we  could  make  to  deter  them  were  sufficiently  powerful  to  induce  the 
Indians  to  give  up  their  ill-advised  project.  We  afterwards  learned 
that  the  sick  man  died  soon  after  leaving  home,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  the  exposure  hastened  if  it  did  not  actually  cause  his  death. 

The  native  settlement  at  Dall  River  consisted  of  a  dozen  or  more 
comfortable  log  houses,  and  the  Indians  seemed  to  be  desirous  of 
keeping  them  as  clean  and  orderly  and  as  nearly  like  our  own  quar- 
ters were  kept  at  Fort  Shoemaker  as  it  was  possible  for  them  to  do 
with  their  limited  facilities.  There  was  a  stead}'  demand  for  soap  by 
the  women,  in  exchange  for  the  articles  of  native  manufacture  which 
they  brought  to  us  for  sale,  and  under  the  stimulating  influence  of 
our  medical  officer,  who  made  frequent  inspections  of  their  quarters 
while  attending  to  the  sick,  they  soon  fell  into  the  habit  of  giving  the 
interior  of  their  houses  a  thorough  scrubbing  from  time  to  time,  and 
seemed  to  take  a  real  pleasure  in  imitating  the  methods  which  they  had 
observed  were  practiced  in  this  particular  on  the  Nunwak. 

AMUSEMENTS. 

During  the  enforced  inactivity  of  midwinter,  when  the  Indians  are 
gathered  together  in  their  winter  villages,  the  time  which  is  not 
taken  up  in   the  routine  work  of   the  household   is  spent   by  them 


214 

in  dancing-  and,  if  food  is  plentiful,  in  the  giving  of  feasts.  As  a 
usual  thing  there  is  in  each  village  one  house  which  is  somewhat 
larger  than  the  rest,  which  may  ordinarily  be  occupied  by  two  or 
more  families,  but  which  by  common  consent  is  made  the  meeting 
place  of  the  whole  community,  sometimes  as  often  as  three  or  four 
times  a  week,  for  the  purpose  of  having  a  dance.  Among  the  young 
men  there  is  generally  one  or  two  who  have  learned  to  play  indiffer- 
ently well  on  the  violin  or  accordion,  and  as  a  variety  of  tune  is  not 
so  much  a  desideratum  as  volume  of  sound  and  a  certain  amount  of 
attention  to  the  marking  of  time  in  the  performance,  the  "music" 
afforded  in  this  way  seems  to  be  all  that  is  required  by  the  assem- 
blage to  keep  up  the  dance  throughout  the  night.  Dances  of  native 
origin  have  been  almost  entirely  discontinued  and  superseded  bj- 
those  learned  by  the  younger  generation  at  the  white  settlements. 
The  "lancers"  and  several  other  quadrilles  with  more  or  less 
involved  figures  appear  to  be  most  popular  with  the  natives,  and  the 
amusement  is  always  conducted  with  the  utmost  decorum  and  good 
order.  A  description  of  the  native  "woman's  dance,"  which  was  the 
only  native  performance  witnessed  by  our  party  during  its  residence 
in  the  country,  has  been  already  given  in  another  part  of  this  report. 

Card  playing  to  a  limited  extent  is  indulged  in  by  the  women 
among  themselves,  but  aside  from  the  relative  value  of  the  cards 
they  do  not  appear  to  have  any  knowledge  of  even  the  simplest 
games.  In  playing  the  cards  are  first  divided  equally  between  the 
players,  and  the  highest  card  played,  irrespective  of  the  suit  or  color 
of  the  one  which  has  been  led,  takes  the  trick.  When  all  the  cards 
have  been  played  the  player  who  has  succeeded  in  taking  the  greatest 
number  of  tricks  wins  the  game.  Simple  as  this  pastime  is  it  furnishes 
them  with  an  endless  amount  of  amusement  and  recreation. 

Among  the  men,  and  especially  so  with  those  who  have  lived  for 
any  length  of  time  in  contact  with  the  whites,  a  knowledge  of  gam- 
bling has  been  acquired  and  is  to  some  extent  prevalent.  It  is  to  be 
said  of  them,  however,  that  these  natives  are  not  nearly  so  addicted 
to  any  games  of  chance  in  which  stakes  are  played  for  as  are  the 
Indians  in  other  sections  of  the  United  States.  There  are  no  native 
gambling  games  or  implements  made  for  this  purpose  at  present  in 
vogue  among  these  tribes,  and  I  can  not  find  any  record  of  there  hav- 
ing ever  been  any  such  forms  of  amusement  in  the  past. 

The  women  spend  much  of  their  spare  time  visiting  each  other,  and 
no  people  are  fonder  of  gossip,  nor  is  it  possible  to  believe  that  any- 
one could  be  more  averse  to  criticism  or  censure. 

The  presence  of  the  Nunivah  and  other  vessels  in  Dall  River  during 
the  winter  season  was  a  never-ending  source  of  entertainment  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  native  villages  in  the  vicinity  of  our  winter  quarters. 
Hardly  a  day  passed  that  we  did  not  receive  a  visit  from  a  half  dozen 


YUKON    RIVER    INDIANS,   SHOWING   MANNER   OF  CARRYING   A  SMALL  CHILD. 


YUKON    RIVER   INDIANS. 


215 

or  more  members  of  the  community.  They  are  intensely  fond  of 
instrumental  music,  and  would  often  sit  on  the  floor  of  the  officers' 
quarters  for  hours  at  a  time  perfectly  quiet  and  apparently  listening 
with  the  keenest  enjoyment  to  the  performance  by  some  of  the  party 
of  simple  melodies  on  the  piano  or  other  musical  instruments  with 
which  we  were  supplied.  A  small  graphophone  which  was  on  board 
was  also  a  never-failing  source  of  interest  and  amusement  to  them,  and 
they  could  be  entertained  by  the  hour  by  being  shown  the  illustrations 
in  the  magazines  and  in  listening  to  the  explanations  of  the  pictures. 

ATHLETIC   SPORTS. 

Snowshoe  races,  wrestling,  jumping,  and  running  races  are  indulged 
in  to  a  very  limited  extent  by  the  young  men,  but  as  the  greater  por- 
tion of  their  lives  are  spent  in  out-of-door  employment  there  is  not 
the  same  inducement  for  them  to  take  this  form  of  exercise  for  mere 
health  sake,  and  as  personal  encounters  are  almost  unknown  among 
the  Indians  the  question  of  physical  superiority  is  one  of  secondary 
importance  and  of  very  little  interest. 

EDUCATION. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  five  schools  for  the  instruction  of  the 
native  children  in  the  portion  of  the  Yukon  Valley  covered  by  our 
observations,  namely,  at  Russian  Mission,  Koserofski,  Anvik,  Nulato, 
and  Tanana.  The  school  at  Russian  Mission  is  in  charge  of  the  priests 
of  the  Russian  Church  at  that  place  and  is  partly  supported  by  an 
appropriation  made  for  this  purpose  by  the  Russian  Church  authori- 
ties, whose  headquarters  in  the  United  States  is  at  San  Francisco. 
Those  at  Koserofski  and  Nulato  are  under  the  supervision  of  priests 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  the  teachers  are  Sisters  of  Charity 
of  the  order  of  St.  Anne,  a  Canadian  organization  having  headquarters 
at  Quebec,  Canada.  Of  these  the  school  at  Koserofski  is  better  known 
as  the  Holy  Cross  Mission,  and  that  at  Nulato  is  called  the  Mission  of 
St.  Peter  Claver. 

The  school  at  Anvik  and  the  one  at  Tanana  are  partly  maintained 
by  the  board  of  missions  of  the  Episcopalian  Church  and  partly  by 
the  payment  of  a  small  annual  tuition  fee  for  the  care  and  board  of 
the  pupils.  The  average  annual  cost  of  caring  for  one  scholar  is  about 
$100.  At  Anvik  the  establishment  is  called  Christ  Church  Mission 
and  at  Tanana  St.  James  Mission.  M  The  aim  of  these  schools  is  to 
teach  the  children  such  habits  of  industry  as  shall  help  them  to  grow 
up  into  self-supporting  men  and  women  and  to  give  them  enough 
instruction  in  the  English  language  as  will  enable  them  to  read  and 
understand  for  themselves  the  Holy  Scriptures;  to  make  them  intelli- 
gent citizens  and  Christians,  and  to  free  them  from  the  superstitious 


216 

beliefs  that  hinder  their  progress."  Such,  in  brief,  is  the  object  of 
the  teachers  of  the  Episcopalian  schools  as  denned  by  Rev.  J.  W. 
Chapman,  who  is  in  charge  of  Christ  Church  Mission  at  Anvik,  and 
who  has  spent  many  years  of  tedious  and  almost  unrecognized  toil 
among  these  people  in  the  furtherance  of  the  objects  mentioned.  From 
the  same  source  of  information  I  also  learned  that  the  children  readily 
acquired  knowledge  of  the  usual, branches  of  a  primary  education, 
except  in  the  study  of  mathematics,  in  which  they  were  slow.  It  is 
especially  desired  that  the  children  shall  not  lose  sympathy  with  their 
own  people,  and  those  who  are  more  advanced  are  encouraged  to  teach 
those  who  are  younger  or  who  have  fallen  behind.  The  young  men 
who  show  some  ability  to  resist  the  superstitions  prevalent  among  the 
older  generation  are  encouraged  to  build  their  homes  near  the  missions, 
and  in  this  manner  it  is  hoped  in  time  to  form  a  large  native  Christian 
community  which  will  be  entirely  self-supporting  and  happy  and  will 
serve  as  an  object  lesson  to  the  less  thrifty  and  intelligent  members  of 
the  tribe. 

At  the  present  time  it  is  probable  that  not  more  than  6  per  cent  of 
the  native  children  receive  the  benefits  of  schooling  throughout  the 
Yukon  Valley,  and  when  we  take  into  consideration  the  fact  that  they 
are  essentially  a  receptive  people,  anxious  to  learn  and  capable  of 
being  raised  to  a  much  higher  plane  of  education  and  refinement  than 
almost  any  other  of  our  native  Indian  tribes,  it  is  earnestly  hoped  that 
the  Government  will  at  once  make  some  provision  whereby  assistance 
will  be  given  to  the  different  church  missions  along  the  river,  who  are 
all  doing  excellent  work,  but  whose  means  are  entirely  inadequate  for 
the  purpose  of  caring  for  the  number  of  children  who  are  in  need  of 
and  certainly  deserve  to  receive  the  benefits  of  education. 

RELIGION. 

For  years  the  missionaries  in  the  field  have  devoted  their  lives  and 
service  in  the  work  of  elevating  these  people  from  a  condition  of  bar- 
barism to  a  comparatively  high  state  of  civilization,  but  whatever  has 
been  the  good  moral  effect  of  their  teachings — and  no  one  can  doubt 
that  it  has  been  most  beneficial — it  can  not  be  said  that  a  true  under- 
standing of  religion  has  as  yet  gained  much  ground  among  the  Indians. 
They  are  by  nature  simple  and  childlike,  but  their  reasoning  powers 
on  matters  of  abstract  theories  show  neither  a  very  high  order  of  cul- 
ture nor  capacity,  and  it  is  extremely  doubtful  if  their  minds  are 
sufficiently  imaginative  or  emotional  ever  to  permit  them  to  grasp  the 
subleties  of  a  religion  founded  on  the  basis  of  faith  and  inspiration. 

There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  they  respond  readily  to  sugges- 
tion and  are  capable  of  attaining  a  high  moral  state  through  the 
influence  of  good  example,  and  this  they  have  in  their  present  teachers. 
It  only  remains  for  the  Government  to  give  some  much-needed  assist- 


YUKON    RIVER    INDIANS,    PILOT  "SAM"  AND   HIS  WIFE   "JENNIE. 


YUKON   RIVER   INDIAN  WOMAN   WHO  HAS  BEEN   EDUCATED  AT  ONE  OF  THE  MISSIONS. 


217 

ance  whereby  the  influence  of  the  missions  may  be  extended  to  those 
who  are  now  out  of  reach  of  this  influence,  and  to  protect  the  Indians 
from  the  vicious  encroachments  of  depraved  members  of  the  white 
population,  to  enable  this  little  tribe  of  interesting-  people  to  become  a 
community  of  valuable  and  prosperous  citizens. 

SUPERSTITIONS. 

Long  contact  with  the  whites  has  had  the  effect  of  destroying  many 
of  the  old  superstitions  which  we  know  were  at  one  time  prevalent 
among  these  people.  At  the  present  time  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to 
obtain  any  information  on  the  subject;  and  although  the  older  gener- 
ation may  still  have  certain  superstitious  beliefs,  their  fear  of  ridicule 
is  so  great  that  they  will  not  discuss  the  subject  with  a  white  man. 

They  do  not  appear  to  attach  any  importance  whatever  to  signs  or 
portents,  and  I  have  never  seen  anything  like  an  amulet  or  charm  in 
their  possession.  They  have  no  special  forms  or  ceremonies  for 
observance  before  leaving  home  on  an\T  important  mission  or  hunt,  and 
the  opening  and  close  of  navigation  on  the  Yukon,  which  is  a  matter 
of  supreme  importance  to  whites  and  Indians  alike,  comes  and  goes  as 
a  matter  of  course,  although  I  was  informed  by  one  of  our  Indian 
neighbors  that  "a  long  time  ago"  this  event  was  the  occasion  of  a 
great  deal  of  joy  to  the  native  tribes,  who  celebrated  it  by  singing  and 
dancing  and  by  certain  offerings  made  to  some  mythical  spirit.  My 
informant  also  told  me  that  once,  when  his  grandfather  was  a  very 
little  boy,  the  Yukon  remained  closed  by  ice  throughout  the  summer. 
I  asked  him  if  he  thought  that  was  caused  by  the  failure  of  the  Indians 
to  give  up  their  customary  offerings?  And  after  a  few  moments  of 
thought  he  replied:  "1  don't  know.  Maybe  them  fellows  tell  plenty 
big  lie  long  time  ago.7' 

SHAMANISM. 

Among  the  Indians  of  the  Yukon  region  there  are  still  members  of 
some  of  the  tribes  who  live  in  the  isolated  settlements  who  claim  to  be 
possessed  of  occult  powers  for  good  or  evil  and  able  to  hold  com- 
munication with  the  spirits  of  the  dead.  But  the  influence  of  these 
so-called  "medicine  men"  over  the  natives  is  gradually  on  the  wane, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  the  Indians  who  are  seldom  brought  in  con- 
tact with  the  white  people,  it  may  be  considered  of  no  importance 
whatever.  At  times,  when  some  of  the  members  of  some  little  com- 
munity dies,  the  medicine  man,  or  shaman,  comes  forward  and  sings  a 
doleful  chant  over  the  remains,  showing  that  in  the  presence  of  death 
there  is  still  a  lingering  superstitious  belief  in  his  powers  to  promote 
the  happiness  of  the  departed  spirit;  and  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
people  as  a  whole  are  inclined  to  doubt  his  supernatural  powers,  it 


218 

sometimes  happens  that  the  claimant  of  these  powers  is  a  man  of 
exceptional  ability  as  a  leader  of  men,  and  his  advice  is  listened  to 
with  attention.  If,  as  it  is  most  likely  to  be,  the  advice  is  of  a  char- 
acter to  alienate  the  native  from  the  teachings  of  his  white  friends,  it 
may  prove  dangerous  and  pernicious.  For  this  reason  it  is  just  as 
well  in  dealing  with  these  people  to  keep  a  sharp  eye  on  the  local 
shaman,  if  there  happen  to  be  one  present,  and  to  suppress  him  if  he 
attempt  to  give  them  bad  advice. 

TRADITIONS   AND    LEGENDS. 

Among  the  older  natives  there  are  still  extant  a  large  number  of 
traditions  and  legends  which  have,  in  the  absence  of  any  written 
records,  been  handed  down  from  father  to  son  through  ages  of  unwrit- 
ten history.  But,  as  in  the  case  of  the  native  superstitions,  it  is 
extremely  difficult  to  obtain  any  accurate  information  on  the  subject. 

The  most  authentic  traditions  indicate  that  at  no  very  great  length 
of  time  in  the  past  there  was  a  large  population  in  the  regions  which 
at  the  present  day  are  almost  devoid  of  inhabitants,  and  that  the  pres- 
ent paucity  of  population  is  the  result  of  frequent  wars  which  in  some 
cases  was  carried  to  the  point  of  almost  total  extermination  of  one  or 
both  of  the  contending  parties.  The  inhabitants  have  also  suffered 
from  periodic  visitations  of  epidemics  of  smallpox  and  scarlet  fever, 
which  tradition  and  actual  written  history  made  since  the  occupation 
of  the  territory  by  the  whites  agree  in  stating  were  at  times  so  violent 
that  whole  villages  would  be  wiped  out  and  districts  almost  depopu- 
lated by  the  ravages  of  the  scourge. 

One  of  the  traditions  which  are  still  related  by  the  Indians  is  to  the 
effect  that,  in  order  to  put  a  stop  to  the  continuous  wars  which  were 
being  waged  between  the  tribes  inhabiting  the  region  known  to-day 
as  the  Yukon  Flats,  a  mythical  character  of  immense  size  and  super- 
human strength,  by  the  help  of  the  land  otters,  successfully  dammed 
up  the  Yukon  somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  what  is  now  the  site  of 
Rampart  City  and  in  this  way  converted  the  region  above  this  point 
into  an  immense  lake.  All  of  the  inhabitants,  with  the  exception  of 
one  man  and  his  sister,  were  drowned  in  this  lake,  and  subsequently, 
when  the  mythical  giant  tore  down  the  dam,  he  scattered  the  debris 
for  hundreds  of  miles  along  the  valley,  and  in  this  way  the  thousands 
of  islands  in  this  portion  of  the  Yukon  were  formed.  The  two  sur- 
vivors of  this  flood  built  a  raft,  and,  embarking  on  the  subsiding 
waters,  were  carried  downward  through  the  country,  and  from  them 
sprang  into  existence  a  new  and  more  peaceful  race.  It  is  rather 
interesting  to  note,  in  connection  with  this  tradition,  that  all  geolo- 
gists who  have  made  a  study  of  this  region  unite  in  stating  thaW&ome- 
time  in  the  remote  past  there  was  an  immense  lake  covering  the  country 
in  this  vicinity;  and  although  all  signs  of  ancient  habitations  have  long 


HALF-BREED   RUSSIAN   TRADER   AND   FAMILY. 
His  wife  was  educated  at  the  Holy  Cross  mission. 


219 

since  disappeared,  other  evidences  that  the  region  was  once  densely 
populated  have  been  found  in  the  shape  of  stone  and  obsidian  arrow 
and  spear  heads  and  domestic  utensils  which  have  long  since  gone  out 
of  use  among  the  present  native  inhabitants. 

The  further  adventures  of  the  two  survivors  of  this  flood  form  the 
basis  of  many  traditions  among  the  natives,  and  a  collection  of  these 
folklore  stories  would  make  a  very  interesting  chapter  in  the  history 
of  these  people;  but,  as  has  been  previously  stated,  it  is  almost  impos- 
sible to  induce  any  of  them  to  talk  on  the  subject,  and  the  information 
can  only  be  obtained  piecemeal,  and  it  would  require  a  long  time  and 
a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  Indian  dialects  to  acquire  the  information 
in  the  shape  which  would  make  it  of  value  to  the  ethnologist. 

FORMS  AND   CEREMONIES,  MARRIAGE,  DIVORCE,  FAMILY  "RELATIONS,  ETC. 

At  the  present  day  but  little  remains  of  the  ancient  forms  and  cere- 
monies which  it  is  most  likely  were  at  one  time  common  among  these 
people.  Even  the  old  mortuary  customs,  which  appear  to  survive 
longest  among  a  people  whose  general  habits  are  undergoing  a  change 
by  contact  with  a  more  civilized  race,  have  to  a  very  large  extent  fal- 
len into  disuse,  and  to-day  the  birth,  death,  and  burial  of  a  native  of 
this  region  are  events  which  are  unmarked  by  the  observance  of  any 
ceremonies  which  are  not  common  to  the  white  race.  There  are,  it  is 
true,  a  few  exceptions  to  this  rule,  but  they  are  usually  found  among 
the  older  natives  or  in  communities  where  comparatively  little  com- 
munication has  been  had  with  the  whites.  At  several  places  along  the 
river  one  may  still  see  a  collection  of  small  mortuary  buildings  in 
which  the  remains  of  the  natives  have  been  placed  for  sepulture  in  the 
past.  The  site  of  these  structures  is  usually  on  the  cleared  top  of 
some  conspicuous  bluff  from  which  a  commanding  view  of  the  sur- 
rounding country  can  be  obtained,  and  the  graves  are  marked  b}T  tall 
poles  from  which  long  streamers  of  parti -colored  cloth  are  suspended. 
Articles  which  have  belonged  to  the  deceased  and,  in  some  cases,  gifts 
from  friends  are  sometimes  found  deposited  in  a  box  made  for  this 
purpose  and  left  near  the  body.  But  even  these  poor  tokens  of  regard 
and  remembrance  are  gradualh^  disappearing  before  the  predatory 
march  of  civilization,  and  perhaps  for  the  reason  that  the  effects  of 
the  dead  even  are  not  safe  from  the  thieving  hands  of  the  class  of 
white  men  who  are  coming  jnto  the  country,  as  well  as  the  general 
tendency  of  the  natives  to  adopt  the  Christian  method  of  burial,  the 
bodies  of  the  dead  are  now  interred  in  graves  dug  in  the  earth,  and 
the  place  is  marked  by  the  erection  of  a  small  cross. 

When  a  young  man  wishes  to  marry  he  selects  a  girl  to  whom  he  is 

not  related  by  any  ties  of  kinship  and  proposes  to  her  parents  or 

guardians  that  she  shall  become  his  wife.     If  the  proposal  meet  with 

the  approval  of  the  parents,  and  there  be  no  objection  on  the  part  of 

5661—03 31 


220 

the  girl,  she  simply  changes  her  place  of  abode  from  the  house  of  her 
parents  to  that  of  the  suitor,  and  henceforth  they  are  considered  as 
man  and  wife.  If  the  services  of  a  minister  to  perform  the  ceremony 
can  be  obtained,  the  marriage  takes  place  before  him,  but  in  the 
absence  of  a  minister  the  simple  fact  that  the  couple  have  mutually 
consented  to  live  together  is  considered  sufficiently  binding  to  cause 
both  parties  to  assume  all  the  mutual  obligations  and  responsibilities 
of  husband  and  wife. 

Polygamy  is  no  longer  practiced  among  the  natives  of  the  Yukon 
Valley.  Instances  of  a  duality  of  wives  are  still  known  to  exist  in 
remote  parts  of  adjacent  regions,  like  the  upper  waters  of  the  Koyukuk 
and  Tanana  rivers,  but  the  custom  is  fast  disappearing. 

Divorce  is  very  rare,  but  not  unknown.  When  a  man  finds  that  his 
wife  has  been  unfaithful  to  him,  there  is  an  unwritten  law  among  the 
natives  that  she  may  be  compelled  to  return  to  her  own  family  and  the 
injured  husband  is  no  longer  responsible  for  her  support.  The  stigma 
of  disgrace  which  attaches  to  the  female  in  such  an  event  is  keenly 
felt  by  the  erring  one,  and  so  strong  is  the  feeling  among  the  men  on 
this  subject  that  it  is  seldom  that  a  divorced  woman  succeeds  in  mar- 
rying the  second  time.  It  can  not  be  said  that  this  high  moral  standard 
of  virtue  has  as  yet  been  reached  by  the  men,  nor  can  it  be  said  that  the 
women  exact  it. 

Upon  the  death  of  the  husband  the  widow  shows  her  grief  by  allow- 
ing her  hair  to  become  unbraided  and  wears  it  in  this  condition  for  a 
year  afterwards  as  a  sign  of  mourning.  This  custom,  which  seems  to  be 
general  throughout  the  region,  is  one  of  the  few  ancient  native  cus- 
toms which  have  survived  since  their  contact  with  the  whites. 

Large  families  are  rare  among  the  Indians,  but  this  is  not  so  much 
caused  by  lack  of  prolificacy  in  the  women  as  it  is  the  result  of  an 
abnormally  large  infant  mortality.  Girls  f requentty  marry  at  the  age 
of  15  to  16  years,  and  from  that  time  until  they  are  30  years  of  age 
they  bear  children  with  more  or  less  regularity  at  intervals  of  from 
eighteen  months  to  two  years.  In  many  cases,  however,  the  children 
are  not  weaned  until  they  are  from  two  to  three  years  of  age,  and  in 
consequence  of  this  it  is  not  an  uncommon  occurrence  to  find  a  young 
mother  nursing  two  children  of  different  ages  at  the  same  time. 
Suffering  at  times  for  the  lack  of  food  herself,  and  always  compelled 
to  perform  a  large  part  of  the  household  drudgery,  it  is  hardly  to  be 
expected  that  the  mother  can  furnish  sustenance  for  two  growing 
children.  The  result  is  that  many  of  the  children  in  their  second  or 
third  year  succumb  to  the  disorders  natural  to  them  at  this  period  of 
life,  and  it  is  only  the  very  hardiest  ones  who  survive. 

Among  no  people,  perhaps,  can  there  be  found  a  greater  amountfof 
devotion  and  affectionate  regard  for  their  young  than  is  displayed  by 
these  Indians.     For  a  year  or  two  after  the  birth  of  a  child  the  mother 


TYPE  OF  MIDDLE-AGED  YUKON   RIVER   INDIAN. 

In  the  background  are  shown  dressed  moose  skins  ready  for  manufacture  into  gioves, 

moccasins,  etc. 


TYPE  OF  MIDDLE-AGED  WOMAN   OF  THE  YUKON   VALLEY. 


221 

seldom  leaves  it  for  more  than  a  few  moments  at  a  time.  On  the  trail 
during  the  winter  it  is  securely  wrapped  in  a  blanket  or  fur  robe  to 
protect  it  from  the  cold  and  carried  on  the  back  of  the  mother,  and  in 
the  summer,  when  most  of  the  work  of  catching  fish  falls  to  the  lot  of 
the  women,  the  baby  has  always  a  comfortable  place  fixed  for  it  in  the 
boat  where  it  can  be  constantly  under  the  mother's  watchful  eye. 
Should  it  become  sick,  the  mother's  anxiety  is  pitiful  to  see;  and  if  the 
disorder  show  no  sign  of  diminution  or  the  condition  of  the  child  grow 
worse,  she  shows  her  grief  in  no  unmistakable  way,  and  for  a  time 
she  is  unconsolable.  This  parental  love  is  not  confined  to  the  mother. 
The  father  is  equally  affectionate,  and,  although  not  so  demonstrative, 
he  shares  the  mother's  anxiety  and  for  the  time  being  assists  her  in  the 
care  of  an  ailing  child. 

The  frequency  of  death  among  the  children,  however,  has  doubtless 
caused  these  people  to  look  upon  this  event  as  a  necessary  evil,  and 
after  the  first  effects  of  grief  caused  by  the  sickness  of  a  child  has 
subsided  they  appear  to  recover  their  usual  good  spirits  and  wait  with 
a  strange  kind  of  resignation  for  the  actual  coming  of  death,  even 
going  so  far  as  to  make  the  shroud  and  coffin  for  the  little  one  long  before 
it  finally  dies.  The  cases  of  recovery  from  serious  illness  of  infants 
is  apparently  so  rare  that  the  grief  of  the  parents  is  exhausted  when 
the  child  is  attacked,  and  when  death  comes  it  has  no  power  to  further 
move  them. 

The  children  of  an  Indian  family  lead  happy  lives,  free  from  care 
or  responsibility,  and  apparently  exempt  from  labor  of  any  kind  until 
the}7  voluntarily  assume  some  of  the  duties  of  the  camp  or  household. 
They  have  their  toys,  which  are  usually  miniature  articles  of  domestic 
use,  and  apparently  give  their  parents  very  little  trouble  after  they 
are  old  enough  to  walk  about  and  amuse  themselves.  Corporal  pun- 
ishment is  a  thing  unknown  among  these  people  to  govern  their  chil- 
dren, and,  indeed,  I  never  saw  an  instance  in  which  it  seemed  at  all 
necessary. 

HUNTING   AND   FISHING. 

Shortly  after  the  close  of  navigation  on  the  river  the  Indians  gather 
in  their  winter  villages  and  begin  the  work  of  preparation  for  winter 
hunting  and  trapping.  Sleds,  toboggans,  snowshoes,  and  dog  har- 
nesses are  now  taken  from  the  caches  where  they  have  been  stored  dur- 
ing the  summer  months,  and  an}T  repairs  necessary  to  put  them  into 
condition  for  use  are  made.  Before  the  river  finally  freezes  over  all 
boats  are  hauled  up  and  placed  in  a  position  where  they  will  be  safe 
from  injury  from  running  ice  during  the  spring  freshets;  steps  are 
cut  leading  down  the  steep  banks  of  the  river  from  the  houses  to  the 
water's  edge  for  the  convenience  of  the  community  in  traveling  to  and 
fro:  the  roofs  and  walls  of  the  houses  are  given  a  general  overhauling 


222 

to  lit  them  for  occupancy  during  the  winter,  and  a  general  season  of 
tinkering  and  carpentering  keeps  the  male  portion  of  the  community 
bus}^  until  the  cold  weather  sets  in  and  hunting  begins. 

As  soon  as  the  river  is  completely  frozen  over  the  fish  traps  are  set 
in  the  channel  and  henceforward  each  trap  is  visited  at  frequent  inter- 
vals by  the  owner,  to  keep  the  hole  in  the  ice  open,  through  which  the 
traps  are  lifted  and  their  contents  removed  from  time  to  time  until  the 
opening  of  navigation. 

October  in  the  Yukon  Valley  is  usually  a  month  of  beautiful  weather. 
After  the  somewhat  tedious  summer  of  almost  continuous  daylight, 
with  its  attendant  plague  of  mosquitoes  and  gnats,  the  cool,  clear  days 
and  nights  of  October  seem  to  possess  the  qualities  of  a  tonic,  and  by 
the  1st  of  November,  when  winter  may  be  said  to  have  fairly  set  in  — 
if  all  has  gone  well  and  no  unusual  sickness  or  disaster  has  occurred  to 
change  their  plans — the  Indian  hunters  are  ready  and  anxious  to  start 
off  for  the  hills  to  hunt  for  moose  and  other  large  game  and  to  set  their 
traps  for  the  smaller  fur-bearing  animals. 

The  fall  hunt  is  of  short  duration  and  is  seldom  participated  in  by 
the  women,  who  remain  at  home  with  the  children  and  the  old  people, 
and  spend  the  time  making  winter  clothing,  moccasins,  mittens,  caps, 
etc.,  and  in  snaring  rabbits,  ptarmigan,  and  grouse  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  village. 

By  the  first  week  in  November  the  country  is  well  covered  with 
snow  and  winter  travel  begins.  The  hunters  return  from  the  hills, 
and  those  who  have  been  successful  in  killing  moose,  bear,  or  deer, 
after  a  short  rest  to  recuperate  from  the  effects  of  the  hardships  of  the 
trail,  set  out  again  with  their  dog  teams  to  bring  in  the  meat  which 
meantime  has  been  left  cached  in  the  woods.  It  frequently  happens 
that  the  entire  family  will  accompany  the  successful  hunter  on  the 
return  trip  for  game,  and  if  there  is  a  large  quantity  of  it  the  party 
will  probably  make  a  temporary  camp  at  the  cache  and  spend  a  week 
or  more  feasting  off  the  product  of  the  hunter's  skill,  and  will  not 
return  to  the  river  until  driven  to  do  so  by  the  excessive  cold  weather 
of  approaching  winter.  Although  most  of  the  drudgery  of  the  camp 
falls  to  the  lot  of  the  women  after  the  hunter  has  provided  the  food — 
and  he  does  little  else  than  sit  in  the  tent  and  smoke  and  eat — the 
women  seem  to  enjoy  these  outings,  and  invariably  come  back  from 
them  apparently  in  much  better  health  and  spirits  than  when  they  set 
out  on  the  trip. 

Soon  after  the  fall  hunt  is  finished  the  population  of  the  winter  vil- 
lages is  increased  by  the  arrival  of  all  the  hunters,  who  now  come  in 
from  the  hills  and  prepare  to  pass  the  time  as  best  they  can  until  the 
dark  days  of  midwinter  are  over  and  the  season  of  spring  hunting 
begins. 

During  the  short  days  of  December  and  January,  when  there  is  an 


"JOE,"   A   NATIVE  GUIDE  AND  PACKER   OF  THE   KOWAK   RIVER. 


TYPE  OF  YOUNG  YUKON   RIVER   INDIAN  GIRL,  SHOWING  INFLUENCE  OF  CONTACT 
WITH  THE  WHITES  IN  THE  MATTER  OF  DRESS. 


OF  THE 

UNIVERS/TY 
223 

average  of  about  four  hours  of  daylight  during  the  twenty-four,  snow- 
shoe  trips  are  made  by  the  Indians  over  the  adjacent  country  hunting 
for  grouse,  ptarmigan,  and  rabbits,  and  looking  after  their  traps  which 
have  been  set  to  capture  foxes,  wolves,  wolverines,  otter,  lynx,  mink, 
and  marten,  which  comprise  the  list  of  fur- bearing  animals  found  in 
this  region. 

About  the  first  week  in  February  the  days  begin  to  lengthen  appre- 
ciably, and  the  population  of  the  winter  villages  begins  to  be  grad- 
ually diminished  by  the  departure  at  intervals  of  a  few  days  of  small 
hunting  parties,  consisting  of  one  or  two  families,  who  now  start  out 
for  the  mountains  on  their  regular  spring  hunt  for  moose,  caribou, 
and  other  large  game.  The  event  is  looked  forward  to  with  the 
greatest  amount  of  interest  by  the  entire  community,  and  hardly  any 
misfortune  is  considered  as  great  by  old  and  young  alike  as  to  be 
deprived  of  the  pleasure  which  they  all  take  in  this  great  annual  pic- 
nic. It  is  the  last  remaining  trait  of  barbarism  among  these  people, 
and  when  we  see  how  eagerly  they  adopt  other  civilized  customs  and 
methods  of  living  it  is  interesting  to  note  the  tenacity  with  which 
they  cling  to  this  purely  savage  mode  of  existence.  The  condition  of 
the  weather  as  regards  the  temperature  is  not  a  matter  of  consequence 
if  other  conditions  are  favorable  for  a  start,  and  several  cases  came 
under  our  observation  of  men  and  women  who  were  actually  too  sick 
to  be  able  to  walk,  but  who  begged  to  be  put  on  the  sleds  and  hauled 
off  to  the  hunting  ground,  maybe  hundreds  of  miles  away,  rather 
than  be  left  behind. 

By  the  1st  of  March  the  winter  villages  along  the  river  are  practi- 
cally deserted  and  remain  so  until  the  succeeding  fall.  Occasionally 
a  party  of  hunters  will  journe}T  in  from  their  camps  with  a  sled  load 
of  moose  or  caribou  meat  for  sale  to  the  white  settlers  or  to  exchange 
it  for  supplies  at  the  trading  posts,  but  the  Indians  as  a  whole  remain 
away  from  the  river,  hunting  and  trapping  until  the  coming  of  warm 
weather  in  the  spring  melts  the  snow  and  the  annual  break-up  of  the 
ice-bound  rivers  occurs. 

At  the  first  appearance  of  open  water  in  the  small  lakes  and  ponds 
which  dot  the  lowlands  of  the  river  valley  myriads  of  ducks  and  geese 
begin  to  arrive  on  their  annual  migration  from  the  south,  and  the 
natives  forsake  the  moose  and  deer  grounds  and  begin  to  hunt  the 
water  fowl.  Some  of  the  families,  however,  remain  in  the  mountains 
until  the  snow  has  entirely  disappeared  from  the  trails  and  travel  by 
sled  back  to  the  river  becomes  impracticable.  Under  these  circum- 
stances they  construct  a  boat  by  covering  a  roughly  made  frame  with 
the  skins  of  the  animals  which  they  have  killed,  and,  choosing  the  most 
convenient  waterway  near  their  camp  in  the  hills,  they  embark  their 
entire  outfit  of  camp  equipage,  sleds,  dogs,  and  remains  of  the  meat 
left  on  hand,  with  their  families,  in  this  makeshift  vessel  and  float 
down  with  the  current  to  the  main  river. 


224 

The  winter  houses  are  at  this  season  uninhabitable  by  reason  of 
dampness  and  mold,  caused  by  long  disuse  and  the  melting  of  snow 
on  the  roofs,  and  for  a  few  weeks  the  natives  live  in  tents  set  up  in 
some  dry  and  elevated  situation  near  the  river  bank  and  spend  the 
time  remaining  before  the  opening  of  the  fishing  season  in  hunting 
muskrats  in  the  open  water  of  the  small  streams  and  lakes,  and  in  get- 
ting their  boats  and  nets  ready  for  the  expected  run  of  salmon,  which 
takes  place  immediately  after  the  Yukon  is  clear  of  ice  and  the  fish 
can  come  in  from  the  sea. 

When  this  takes  place,  the  natives  again  separate  into  small  family 
parties,  and,  selecting  some  favorable  locality  along  the  river  banks, 
they  make  their  summer  camps,  set  their  nets,  and  spend  the  rest  of 
the  summer  in  catching  and  drying  fish.  Their  principal  article  of 
diet  at  this  season  is  fresh  fish,  to  which  is  added  later  on  quantities 
of  wild  edible  berries,  which  grow  in  abundance  in  the  region,  and 
such  articles  of  civilized  food  as  can  be  obtained  by  trade  or  purchase 
from  the  trading  posts.  The  surplus  fish  taken  are  dried  on  racks  set 
up  along  the  shores  of  the  river  and  afterwards  stored  in  caches  ready 
for  future  use. 

This,  briefly  stated,  is  the  life  of  the  Indians  in  pursuit  of  food 
throughout  the  year.  It  is  extremely  regular,  and  in  spite  of  the 
rigors  of  the  climate  it  is  a  healthy  and  comparatively  easy  form  of 
existence,  and  on  the  whole  the  people  are  fairly  prosperous  and  by 
no  means  unhappy.  With  an  abundance  of  game  in  each  season  and 
with  freedom  from  severe  epidemics  of  sickness  they  are  amply  able 
to  support  life  without  assistance.  But  as  they  are  exceedingly 
improvident  and  careless,  any  untoward  accident  which  prevents  them 
from  pursuing  their  usual  vocations  almost  invariably  results  in 
bringing  on  a  period  of  suffering  and  distress. 

TRADING. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  and  early  part  of  winter  the 
Indian  women  carry  on  quite  a  lucrative  trade  with  the  trading  posts 
and  passing  white  travelers  in  the  sale  of  moose-skin  moccasins,  mit- 
tens, fur  caps,  and  various  other  articles  of  winter  clothing,  and 
throughout  the  year  the  men  sell  their  surplus  fresh  meat,  fish,  etc., 
wherever  a  market  can  be  obtained.  At  the  stores  they  receive  for 
these  articles  sums  varying  in  amount  with  the  local  demand,  which 
may  be  paid  in  cash  or,  as  is  more  generally  the  case,  an  equivalent 
in  trade. 

As  a  general  thing  the  natives  are  shrewd  traders,  and  soon  learn 
the  prices  and  quality  of  the  various  articles  offered  for  sale  or  barker 
by  the  trading  companies.  The  furs  which  the  natives  obtain  by 
trapping  are  disposed  of  in  the  same  way. 


JOHN    MINOOK,  A  HALF-BREED  YUKON    RIVER   INDIAN,  DISCOVERER  OF  GOLD  ON  MINOOK  CREEK. 


V,  \  B  R  A /?> 
O  "  THE 

or 


225 

They  are  essentially  honest  as  regards  the  keeping  of  contracts,  but 
apparently  do  not  consider  it  wrong  to  foist  off  on  an  inexperienced 
or  unwary  purchaser  an  inferior  article  for  one  that  is  supposed  to  be 
first  class.  They  do  not  understand  the  laws  of  supply  and  demand, 
and  a  price  of  an  article  having  once  been  fixed,  becomes  a  matter  of 
general  knowledge  in  a  remarkably  short  time,  and  it  is  very  difficult 
to  change.  They  are  rather  fond  of  going  into  debt,  and  the  amount 
of  material  which  they  will  take  on  credit  is  in  the  majorit}T  of  cases 
only  limited  by  the  traders'  discretion  and  judgment  of  the  natives' 
ability  to  meet  their  obligations.  During  our  residence  in  the  country 
we  were  frequently  called  upon  to  advance  supplies  of  food  to  the 
Indians  living  in  our  immediate  vicinity,  to  be  paid  for  at  some  future 
time  by  the  delivery  of  fresh  meats  or  fish,  and  it  can  be  said  to  their 
credit  they  never  failed  to  pay  their  debts. 

They  understand  the  use  of  money,  and  in  disposing  of  their  wares 
they  usually  demand  a  part  at  least  of  the  purchase  price  in  cash. 
Apparently  this  desire  to  handle  mone}^  is  not  for  the  purpose  of 
hoarding  it,  for  as  a  general  thing  they  end  in  spending  the  last  cent 
they  have  obtained  from  the  trader  before  leaving  the  store.  Instances 
of  the  accumulation  of  money  or  wealth  of  any  kind  are  comparatively 
unknown. 

The  prices  at  which  the  articles  generally  sold  by  the  natives  were 
fixed  during  our  stay  in  the  country  were  about  as  follows:  Beaded 
moccasins,  from  $2  to  $5:  without  beads,  Si. 50.  Fur  caps,  from  82. 50 
to  $10,  according  to  the  quality  of  fur  used.  Mittens,  from  $2  to  $10, 
according  to  the  amount  of  bead  work  put  on  them.  Dog  moccasins 
were  held  at  50  cents  each,  and  any  other  work  which  was  done  by 
the  women  in  the  way  of  repairs  usually  was  charged  for  at  the  rate 
of  about  Si. 50  per  day  for  labor  and  material.  Fresh  meat  sold  by 
the  hunters  brought  from  50  cents  to  $1  per  pound;  grouse  and 
ptarmigan  were  25  cents  each.  Dried  salmon  cost  on  the  average  25 
cents  each,  but  when  there  was  a  scarcity  of  the  article  the  price 
rose  to  50  cents.  Native-made  snowshoes  were  from  $8  to  $12;  birch- 
bark  canoes  cost  from  $5  to  $15,  basket  sleds  from  $20  to  $30,  and  fur 
robes  were  held  at  prices  varying  from  $15  for  one  made  of  muskrat 
or  rabbit  skins  to  $50  and  $75  for  a  first-class  one  made  of  red  fox  or 
wolf  skins. 

The  prices  asked  by  the  Indians  for  their  furs  were  generally  about 
the  same  as  those  for  which  similar  articles  can  be  purchased  in  the 
States  for  cash.  For  instance,  a  wolf  skin  was  valued  at  from  $6  to 
$8;  marten  from  $2  to  $6,  according  to  quality;  red  fox,  $2  to  $3;  lynx, 
from  $2  to  $4;  bear,  from  $8  to  $12;  muskrat  and  rabbit  skins  sold  for 
25  cents  each,  and  silver-gray  fox,  which  is  the  most  valuable  of  all 
the  furs  found  in  the  country,  commanded  a  price  of  from  $75  to  $200. 


226 

From  the  above  it  will  be  seen  that,  even  at  the  high  rate  at  which 
goods  are  held  by  the  trading  companies,  the  prices  paid  for  the  prod- 
ucts of  their  labor  are  such  as  to  furnish  the  natives  with  ample  means 
of  support  if  they  could  be  taught  to  practice  only  the  simplest  methods 
of  economy,  and  if  they  can  be  protected  to  a  certain  extent  by  law 
from  the  encroachments  of  the  whites  in  the  prosecution  of  their  native 
employments. 

NATIVE   MANUFACTURES. 

One  of  the  most  noticeable  features  of  native  life  in  the  Yukon 
Valle}T  is  the  gradual  substitution  by  them  of  articles  of  domestic  use 
made  by  the  whites  for  similar  articles  made  by  themselves  previous 
to  their  contact  with  civilization.  In  this  particular  they  differ  in  a 
remarkable  degree  from  the  Eskimos  of  the  coast,  who  still  cling  in  a 
large  measure  to  their  original  methods  of  living. 

Among  the  articles  of  common  use  which  experience  has  shown  to 
be  best  for  use  in  this  countiy,  and  which  are  still  manufactured  by 
the  natives,  the  following  are  the  most  important:  Snowshoes,  canoes, 
basket  sleds,  toboggans,  fish  traps,  bows  and  arrows,  snares  for  small 
game,  and  paddles,  which  are  made  by  the  men;  and  moccasins,  mit- 
tens, gloves,  fur  socks,  caps,  sinew  thread,  and  rawhide  lashing  mate- 
rial called  "remni"  are  the  articles  of  principal  manufacture  by  the 
women. 

In  the  manufacture  of  snowshoes  the  men  first  make  the  frame  out 
of  half -seasoned  birch  and  bend  it  into  shape  by  lashing  the  two  shoes 
together  sole  to  sole  and  then  forcing  the  front  portion  of  the  shoes 
outward  to  the  desired  angle  by  means  of  a  wedge-shaped  block  of 
wood  and  then  allowing  them  to  dry  over  a  moderatery  hot  fire  or  by 
hanging  them  overhead  in  the  house  near  the  stove  until  they  will 
retain  their  curved  shape.  The  women  then  take  the  frames  and 
"string"  them  with  deer  sinew  and  fill  in  the  foot  space  with  remni. 
The  forward  and  back  sections  of  the  shoe  are  filled  in  with  a  very 
fine  mesh  made  of  twisted  deer  sinew,  and  when  completed  it  is  as 
tight  as  the  webbing  of  an  ordinary  tennis  racket,  but  much  finer. 
The  square  space  in  the  middle  section  of  the  shoe  is  filled  in  with  a 
much  coarser  netting  of  heavier  material  made  of  rawhide,  and  finally 
soft-tanned  moose  hide  foot  lashings  are  added  and  the  shoes  are  ready 
for  use.  With  the  exception  of  snowshoes  all  other  articles  of  native 
manufacture  are  made  separately  by  the  men  or  women,  as  above  stated. 

The  beadwork  of  the  native  women  is  not  as  fine  as  that  of  some  of 
the  Indian  people  living  farther  south,  and  the  designs  are  as  a  rule 
simple  reproductions  of  conventionalized  flowers  or  plants,  and  except 
in  the  matter  of  selection  of  colors  of  the  beads  used  show  but  little 
variation  or  originality.     In  doing  this  kind  of  work  the  women  first 


227 

cut  out  a  pattern  of  the  design  from  a  piece  of  stiff  paper  or  cardboard 
and  lay  it  down  on  the  smooth  surface  of  the  moose  skin,  and  carefully 
trace  the  outline  of  the  proposed  design  on  to  the  skin  with  a  pencil 
or  small  piece  of  charcoal,  after  which  the  design  is  filled  in  by  sewing 
on  the  beads.  In  some  cases  a  considerable  amount  of  skill  is  shown 
b\T  them  in  getting  the  parts  of  a  design  in  well-balanced  order  and 
symmetrically  placed,  and  there  is  a  wide  variation  in  the  amount  of 
skill  manifested  by  individuals  in  the  work  of  sewing  on  the  beads, 
but  on  the  whole  their  work  shows  lack  of  artistic  instruction  in  the 
making  of  designs  and  carelessness  of  execution  in  the  work  itself. 

In  sewing,  the  women  invariably  use  what  is  commonly  known  as 
the  "backstitch,*'  and  work  in  an  opposite  direction  from  that  to 
which  we  are  accustomed,  but  although  at  first  it  appeared  to  us  as 
being  an  awkward  method  of  working,  and  we  attempted  to  show  them 
how  white  women  sewed,  while  they  were  alwa}s  very  much  interested, 
they  could  not  be  induced  to  change,  and  with  later  knowledge  of  the 
quality  of  the  work  they  did  we  came  to  tne  conclusion  that  one  way 
was  as  good  as  another  as  long  as  the  object  to  be  accomplished  was 
equally  well  performed. 

The  preparation  of  the  moose  hide  for  the  manufacture  of  the  several 
articles  of  domestic  use  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  women  entirely.  After 
being  removed  from  the  animal  the  skin  is  first  allowed  to  soak  in 
water  and  is  then  rolled  up  and  allowed  to  sweat  until  the  coarse  hairs 
can  be  readih'  removed.  Next  it  is  scraped  on  the  flesh  side  of  the 
hide  until  the  remaining  hair  and  under  fur  can  be  plucked  out,  and 
after  this  is  done  the  skin  is  hung  over  a  pole  set  up  in  a  horizontal 
position  and  is  thoroughly  scraped  with  a  round-bladed  knife  or  bone 
scraping  implement.  When  the  skin  is  soft  and  pliable  it  is  tanned  by 
smoking  it  over  a  smudge  fire  made  of  decayed  wood,  which  causes  it 
to  become  a  delicate  straw  color,  and  it  is  then  ready  for  use  in  the 
manufacture  of  moccasins,  mittens,  gloves,  etc. 

The  art  of  tanning  by  the  use  of  acids  is  not  practiced  by  these 
Indians  at  the  present  day.  The  only  way  in  which  they  preserve  their 
fur  pelts  is  by  drying  them  in  the  sun. 

Birch-bark  canoes  are  made  b}r  covering  a  lightly  constructed  frame 
with  strips  of  birch  bark,  which  have  been  previously  soaked  in  water 
to  render  them  pliable,  and  sewing  them  to  the  frame  with  a  kind  of 
lashing  stuff  made  from  the  inner  bark  of  spruce  or  willow  trees.  The 
seams  are  made  water-tight  by  applications  of  melted  spruce  gum. 
Baskets  made  of  grass  and  a  kind  of  twine  made  by  twisting  together 
the  young  roots  of  spruce  and  willow  trees  are  still  to  be  seen  on  the 
lower  river,  but  in  the  upper  portion  of  the  stream  where  birch  bark 
is  obtainable  the  natives  do  not  practice  the  art  of  weaving  baskets 
at  all. 


228 

Their  fishing  nets  are  made  of  cotton  seine  twine  purchased  at  the 
trading  stores,  the  floats  being  made  of  wood  and  the  sinkers  of  stone 
wrapped  in  birch  bark  or  secured  to  the  nets  with  twine.  The  natives 
still  hold  to  their  original  methods  of  making  their  toboggans  and  one 
form  of  sled,  locally  known  asa"  basket  sled,"  which  has  a  light  frame 
held  together  by  means  of  rawhide  lashings  and  is  much  lighter  and 
better  for  ordinary  use  than  the  more  rigid  and  heavier  sled  made  on 
the  outside  and  imported  into  the  country  by  the  whites.  The  latter 
sleds  are,  however,  better  suited  for  the  transportation  of  heavy  loads, 
and  are  coming  into  more  general  use  with  each  year's  improvements, 
which  are  being  made  in  their  construction  to  suit  them  to  local 
conditions. 

CONCLUSIONS. 

In  the  manufacture  of  the  several  articles  used  by  them  the  natives 
show  a  considerable  amount  of  structural  skill  in  the  handling  of 
materials,  and  readily  acquire  the  use  of  mechanical  tools.  The 
ordinary  saw,  plane,  hammer,  files,  and  chisel  have  been  almost 
universally  adopted  by  the  men,  and  the  women  use  scissors  instead 
of  their  native  knives  for  cutting  out  their  work,  and  sewing  machines 
are  rapidly  coming  into  general  use.  The  use  of  measuring  rules, 
squares,  and  levels  is  not  so  common,  and  in  the  construction  of 
their  houses  the  lack  of  knowledge  of  the  use  of  these  tools  is  seen  in 
the  rather  poorly  finished  joints  of  door  and  window  frames  and,  in 
fact,  wherever  exact  measurements  are  required  to  finish  a  piece  of 
work  in  a  workmanlike  manner.  The  readiness  with  which  all  these 
people  learn  the  use  of  tools  and  the  anxiety  they  display  to  acquire 
this  knowledge  would  seem  to  make  it  highly  desirable  that  some 
means  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  give  them  the  necessaiy  instruc- 
tion in  manual  training.  The  mission  schools  are  not  sufficiently  well 
equipped  for  this  purpose,  and  it  would  be  a  matter  of  trifling  cost  to 
the  Government  to  place  at  each  of  these  institutions  a  small  but  com- 
plete outfit  of  tools  and  all  the  equipment  necessary  to  carry  on  the 
work  of  instruction  of  the  pupils.  I  would  also  recommend  that 
the  same  sort  of  help  be  extended  to  the  native  women,  so  as  to  enable 
them  to  learn  the  art  of  basketry,  of  which  they  are  at  the  pres- 
ent time  comparatively  ignorant,  but  which  would  undoubtedly  furnish 
them  with  a  most  profitable  means  of  support.  Unless  the  natives  are 
taught  some  such  forms  of  industry,  it  is  feared  that  the  day  is  not 
far  distant  when  they  will  lose  their  identity  as  a  people  and  become 
a  community  of  paupers  and  beggars,  as  almost  every  field  of  labor 
which  has  in  the  past  yielded  them  a  means  of  support  is  being 
filled  up  by  the  more  energetic  and  better  equipped  white  population, 
which  is  steadily  on  the  increase.     The  Government  owes  it  to  these 


229 

people,  first,  to  protect  them  as  far  as  possible  from  competition  in 
the  fields  of  labor  which  are  their  natural  heritage,  namely,  in  the 
pursuit  of  game  and  the  fur-bearing  animals  of  the  Territory;  and, 
second,  to  extend  to  them  the  benefits  of  our  educational  system, 
especially  on  the  lines  of  manual  training.  If,  in  addition  to  this 
form  of  help,  the  laws  governing  the  intercourse  between  the  Indians 
and  whites  are  strictly  enforced,  I  believe  that  the  condition  of  these 
simple  and  harmless  people  will  be  vastly  improved,  and  that  ulti- 
mately they  will  be  raised  to  a  high  plane  of  civilization,  and  instead 
of  becoming  a  source  of  annoyance  and  trouble  they  will  be  a  blessing 
and  a  help  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  Territory. 


oFTHfry 


TYPE  OF   INDIAN   WOMAN   OF  THE  YUKON  VALLEY. 


CHAPTER  II. 


LANGUAGE. 


DIALECTS. 


The  language  of  the  Indian  inhabitants  of  the  Yukon  Valley  is  com- 
posed of  numerous  dialects  more  or  less  similar  in  construction,  and 
an  examination  of  the  several  vocabularies  (vide  Appendix  D)  will 
show  that  most  of  the  words  in  common  use  are  so  much  alike  that 
there  seems  to  be  little  reason  for  doubting  the  theory  of  a  common 
origin.  Verbal  variations  and  the  introduction  of  foreign  words  in 
certain  localities  have,  however,  made  such  changes  in  the  original 
language  that  at  the  present  time  each  well-defined  section  of  the  river 
has  its  own  dialect,  which  as  a  general  thing  is  not  thoroughly  under- 
stood  by  the  natives  of  the  other  localities. 

Roughly  speaking,  the  river  region  may  be  divided  into  six  linguis- 
tic districts,  which,  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  for  the  sake 
of  convenience,  may  be  enumerated  as  follows: 

The  first  district  is  that  part  of  the  river  from  the  coast  to  the  head 
of  the  delta,  and  its  upper  limit  is  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Russian  mis- 
sion. Within  this  region  the  Egomute  dialect  of  the  Eskimo  language 
is  used,  and  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  these  people  have  for  centuries 
been  in  close  contact  with  the  Indians  of  the  interior  while  carrying 
on  their  intertribal  traffic,  their  language  has  remained  unchanged, 
and  even  at  the  present  time  the  services  of  an  interpreter  is  needed 
when  the  two  tribes  meet  to  transact  business.  After  leaving  the 
lower  portion  of  the  river  the  language  of  the  Eskimo  entirely  disap- 
pears and  is  replaced  by  successive  forms  of  the  native  Ingalik  or 
Indian  tongue.  The  second  linguistic  district  may  be  said  to  begin  at 
Koserefski  and  extends  to  Anvik,  the  third  from  Anvik  to  Nulato,  the 
fourth  from  Nulato  to  Tanana,  the  fifth  from  Tanana  to  Fort  Yukon, 
and  the  sixth  from  Fort  Yukon  to  the  international  boundary  line. 

With  the  exception  of  the  language  spoken  by  the  Eskimos  of  the 
delta  region,  the  several  native  dialects  of  the  river  are  undergoing  the 
process  of  gradual  assimilation,  more  rapid  during  the  last  decade  on 
account  of  the  more  constant  communication  between  the  different 
tribes,  and  in  the  course  of  time  a  form  of  speech  will  doubtless  be 

231 


232 

adopted  which  will  be  common  throughout  the  region.  This  will 
probably  take  place  before  English  is  generally  adopted  as  the  language 
of  the  natives,  as  it  has  been  observed  that  they  seem  to  prefer  to  use 
their  own  language  when  conversing  among  themselves,  although  all 
of  the  parties  to  the  conversation  may  understand  English  perfectly. 

The  grammatical  construction  of  the  Indian  dialects  is  very  com- 
plete, and  I  have  been  informed  by  Father  Ragaru,  at  Nulato,  and 
Mr.  J.  W.  Chapman,  at  Anvik,  both  of  whom  have  devoted  years  of 
study  to  this  subject,  that  the  verbal  variations  of  the  native  language 
are  sufficiently  complex  to  express  even  the  finest  shades  of  meaning. 
Our  own  experience  while  in  contact  with  the  Indians  at  Dall  River, 
while  not  long  enough  to  enable  us  to  do  amr  more  than  acquire  the 
use  of  a  limited  vocabulary  and  a  few  phrases  to  express  simple  ideas, 
still  showed  us  that  in  conversing  with  each  other  the  Indians  never 
seemed  to  lack  words  to  express  their  ideas  on  an\T  kind  of  subject. 
This  was  particularly  noticeable  when  they  were  engaged  in  looking 
over  our  stock  of  magazines  and  listening  to  the  explanations  given 
in  English  of  the  various  subjects  therein  illustrated,  and  in  noting  the 
apparent  ease  with  which  these  explanations  could  be  translated  by 
some  of  the  Indians  who  understood  English  to  the  rest  of  the  party. 
This  is  rather  remarkable  when  the  extent  of  the  field  of  information 
which  was  covered  b}r  this  means  is  considered.  Some  of  these 
impromptu  language  lessons  extended  over  a  period  of  several  hours, 
and  I  very  seldom  heard  the  interpreter  make  use  of  an  English  word 
to  express  his  meaning  when  he  was  engaged  in  the  work  of  translating 
into  the  Indian  dialect  what  was  read  or  spoken  to  him  in  English. 

The  sound  of  the  native  dialects  is  not  at  all  unpleasant  or  harsh. 
In  fact  in  some  cases,  as,  for  instance,  in  their  songs,  it  is  distinctly 
musical.  The  native  dialect  at  Dall  River  was  rather  difficult  to 
acquire  on  account  of  the  many  elided  sounds,  particularly  of  the  let- 
ters n,  1,  g,  and  m.  The  sounds  of  the  letters  m,  b,  and  v  were 
frequently  confused,  and  it  was  found  that  different  members  of  our 
party  who  sought  to  acquire  a  correct  pronunciation  of  the  Indian 
words  were  frequently  at  variance  with  each  other  as  to  the  proper 
pronunciation  of  certain  words  in  which  these  letters  occurred.  It  is 
probable  that  the  Indians  themselves  used  the  sounds  of  m  and  b  indis- 
criminately. Our  efforts  to  properly  pronounce  some  of  the  native 
words  was  a  never-failing  source  of  amusement  to  the  Indians,  and  in 
the  case  of  a  particularly  hard  combination  of  semi-elided  sounds  and 
gutturals,  which  sometimes  barred  the  way  toward  linguistic  progress, 
the  children  at  the  village  took  delight  in  a  constant  repetition  of  the 
difficult  word  or  phrase  whenever  we  chanced  to  visit  their  houses, 
and  were  highly  entertained  by  our  efforts  to  imitate  their  pronun- 
ciation. 

The  language  of  the  natives  of  the  interior  is  an  inflective  one,  and 


233 

in  this  way  it  differs  radical^  from  that  of  the  Eskimos,  which  is 
agglutinative.  This  difference  of  form  alone  is  sufficient  evidence  that 
the  two  forms  of  speech  are  of  an  entirely  separate  and  distinct 
origin. 

SIGN    LANGUAGE. 

Among  the  Indians  living  in  the  vicinity  of  our  winter  quarters, 
and  with  whom  we  were  brought  in  contact,  were  several  deaf  mutes, 
and  all  communication  between  them  and  the  other  Indians  was  main- 
tained by  a  system  of  signs  which  we  soon  learned  to  understand,  and 
as  the  knowledge  was  general  among  the  natives  of  the  locality  these 
signs  were  frequently  made  use  of  b}T  our  party  to  converse  with  the 
Indians  when  our  stock  of  native  words  was  found  to  be  inadequate 
for  the  purpose.  In  fact,  this  system  of  arbitrary  signs  had  come  into 
such  general  use  by  the  natives  at  this  place  that  we  found  it  more 
satisfactory  in  many  cases  to  communicate  our  ideas  and  receive  infor- 
mation by  this  means  than  to  attempt  to  do  so  by  means  of  verbal 
conversation. 

Among  the  signs  in  general  use  by  the  natives  of  this  community 
the  following  were  noted  as  being  the  most  important  and  generally 
used: 

Sleep:  Place  the  open  palm  against  the  side  of  the  face,  incline  the 
head  as  if  to  rest  it  on  the  hand,  and  close  the  eyes. 

Death:  Grasp  the  throat  with  the  thumb  and  index  finger  of  one 
hand,  place  the  other  hand  fully  extended  over  the  chest,  close  the 
eyes,  and  allow  the  lower  jaw  to  become  relaxed  and  fall  to  one  side. 

Hunger:  Place  both  hands,  with  fingers  just  touching,  over  the  pit 
of  the  stomach  and  press  inward  to  indicate  that  the  stomach  is  empty. 

Fatigue:  Grasp  the  muscles  of  the  legs  with  the  hands  and  with  the 
compressing  movement  used  in  massage  rub  each  leg  alternately  from 
the  groin  to  the  knee  several  times. 

Pain:  Touch  the  affected  part  with  the  tips  of  the  fingers,  close  the 
eyes,  contract  the  muscles  of  the  mouth  and  eyebrows,  and  at  the  same 
time  draw  in  the  breath  with  a  sibilant  sound  through  the  partially 
closed  lips. 

Pleasure:  Slowly  nod  the  head  and  smile. 

SmTow:  Place  the  tips  of  the  index  and  middle  finger  under  the 
eyes  and  slowly  draw  them  downward  to  the  chin,  at  the  same  time 
slowly  move  the  head  from  side  to  side. 

Assent:  Slowly  nod  the  head. 

Negation:  Shake  the  head  from  side  to  side  with  a  quick,  energetic 
movement  of  dissent. 

Bo  you  understand?  Touch  both  temples  with  the  tips  of  the  fingers. 

I  do  not  understand:  Touch  the  ears  with  the  tips  of  the  fingers  and 
give  the  sign  of  negation. 


234 

Salutation :  Lift  one  hand  above  the  head  and  wave  it  to  and  fro. 

Caution:  Lift  one  hand  above  the  head,  palm  to  the  front,  and  hold 
it  perfectly  motionless  for  an  instant. 

Moose:  Place  the  balls  of  the  thumbs  on  the  sides  of  the  head  above 
the  ears  and  extend  the  fingers  upward,  to  simulate  the  horns  of  the 
animal. 

Caribou :  Make  sign  for  moose,  then  bring  one  hand  held  in  vertical 
plane  directly  in  front  of  and  close  to  the  forehead  and  drop  it  down- 
ward in  a  slight  curve  to  the  front,  to  indicate  the  shovel  horn  of  the 
caribou. 

Bear:  Place  the  closed  hands  on  the  chest,  flex  the  knees,  and  slowly 
turn  the  head  from  side  to  side. 

Babbit:  Lift  the  hands,  palms  downward,  with  the  thumbs  close  to 
the  fingers  and  move  hands  forward  and  back  through  a  slight  curve 
in  a  horizontal  plane,  to  simulate  movement  of  the  animal  when  run- 
ning. 

Dog:  Hold  both  hands  in  front  of  body,  palms  down  and  thumbs 
close  to  the  fingers,  then  move  each  hand  alternately  forward  and  back 
with  a  slight  up-and-down  motion,  to  simulate  the  movement  of  a  dog 
trotting. 

Fish:  Hold  one  hand  with  the  fingers  in  a  vertical  plane  at  the 
height  of  the  waist  and  close  to  the  body,  then  slowly  move  it  forward 
in  a  sinuous  line  made  by  slowly  flexing  the  fingers,  to  simulate  the 
movement  of  a  fish  in  the  water. 

Goose:  Partly  extend  the  arms  with  palms  of  hands  down  and  simu- 
late movement  of  wings  of  bird  in  flight. 

Duck.:  Hold  the  hands  at  height  of  the  chest  and  close  to  the  body 
and  simulate  rapid  movement  of  bird  in  flight  b}T  rapidly  flexing  the 
hands  at  the  wrists. 

White  man:  Grasp  the  chin  with  one  hand  and  draw  the  lingers  and 
thumb  downward  to  simulate  the  action  of  a  man  in  stroking  his 
beard. 

Indian:  Pass  the  open  hand  over  the  face  to  indicate  the  absence  of 
a  beard  and  simulate  action  of  depilation,  which  was  a  common  prac- 
tice among  these  people. 

Indian  woman:  Make  sign  for  Indian;  then  place  the  palms  of  the 
hands  on  the  forehead,  with  the  tips  of  the  fingers  just  touching  in 
the  center,  and  draw  them  downward  to  the  ears,  to  indicate  the  man- 
ner of  arranging  the  hair  by  the  native  women. 

Baby:  Flex  both  arms  to  indicate  manner  of  holding  a  child  and 
slowly  sway  the  bod}T  from  side  to  side. 

Steamboat:  Hold  the  open  hands  in  front  of  the  body  slightly  over- 
lapping each  other;  then  give  them  a  rotary  motion  to  simulate  the 
movement  of  a  wheel  turning. 

Canoe:  Hold  the  arms  at  full  length  close  to  the  body;  then  swing 


235 

them  forward  and  back  through  parallel  vertical  planes  to  indicate  the 
shape  of  the  sides  of  a  canoe. 

To  travel  hy  canoe:  Make  sign  for  canoe;  then  simulate  action  of  a 
person  paddling  first  on  one  side  then  on  the  other  of  the  body. 

Snowshoe:  Extend  one  foot  and  indicate  outline  of  a  snowshoe  b}r 
moving  the  extended  hands  forward  and  inward  until  they  touch  in 
front  of  the  foot. 

Steel  trap:  Hold  the  hands  vertically  with  palms  together;  then, 
still  keeping  the  wTrists  together,  open  the  fingers  and  bend  the  hands 
backward  to  indicate  the  appearance  of  a  trap  that  has  been  set. 

Native  trap  or  deadfall:  Hold  the  hands  fully  open  in  a  vertical 
plane  and  place  one  across  the  other  at  right  angles. 

Far:  Hold  the  hand  at  height  of  the  eye  with  palm  down;  then 
slightly  flex  the  fingers  at  short  intervals  to  indicate  movement  of 
progression  over  distant  hills. 

Near:  Hold  the  open  hand  in  a  vertical  plane  a  short  distance  in 
front  of  the  body;  then  move  it  several  times  toward  the  body  with  a 
short,  sweeping  motion. 

Deep  water:  Lift  the  hand  to  the  height  of  the  eyes,  with  index 
and  middle  fingers  extended  downward;  then  move  the  hand  down- 
ward almost  to  the  knees  and  back  again  to  its  original  position. 

Shallotv  water:  Hold  the  hand  with  palm  down  in  front  of  the  body 
and  slowly  move  it  in  a  horizontal  plane  from  left  to  right  several 
times. 

A  fathom:  Place  the  hands  together  on  the  chest  and  then  extend 
the  arms  outward  horizontally  as  far  as  possible. 

Snow  or  rain:  Hold  the  hand  palm  down  at  the  height  of  the  eye; 
then  simulate  appearance  of  falling  snow  or  rain  by  a  fluttering 
motion  of  the  open  hand  as  it  is  allowed  to  descend  to  the  height  of 
the  knee. 

To  see:  Touch  both  e}res  with  the  tips  of  the  index  finger. 

To  speak:  Touch  the  tongue  with  the  tip  of  the  finger. 

To  hear:  Touch  one  ear  with  the  index  finger. 

To  listen:  Place  the  open  hand  behind  the  ear. 

Tea:  Hold  the  left  hand  palm  up  and  slightly  flexed;  then  simulate 
action  of  picking  up  some  small  particles  in  the  palm  of  this  hand 
with  the  fingers  of  the  other. 

Sugar:  Hold  the  left  hand  partly  closed  to  simulate  a  cup  and  use 
the  index  finger  of  the  right  hand  to  indicate  the  movement  of  a  spoon 
in  stirring  sugar  in  a  cup. 

Butter:  Hold  the  left  hand  in  horizontal  plane,  palm  up,  and  with 
the  index  finger  of  the  right  hand  simulate  action  of  spreading  butter 
over  the  palm  of  the  left  hand. 

In  addition  to  the  above  signs,  which  is  only  a  partial  list  of  those 
in  common  use  by  these  natives,  they  had  many  others  which   were 


236 

used  among  themselves  when  communicating  with  the  deaf  mutes, 
and  which,  for  obvious  reasons,  were  not  always  understood  by  us. 

Written  sign  language:  The  total  absence  of  anything  like  a  system 
of  written  sign  language  is  a  remarkable  characteristic  of  these  people. 
In  no  way  did  I  see  any  evidence  of  the  employment  by  them  of  this 
means  of  communicating  information.  In  this  respect  they  are  infe- 
rior to  the  Eskimo,  who  preserve  records  of  their  hunting  trips,  con- 
vey information  generally,  and  to  some  extent  perpetuate  their  legends 
and  superstitions  b}r  means  of  graphic  art  in  the  shape  of  carvings 
and  etchings.  But  aside  from  a  few  examples  of  the  use  of  written 
characters  learned  by  them  in  the  mission  schools,  I  observed  nothing 
which  would  lead  me  to  believe  that  the  natives  of  the  interior  ever 
had  any  form  of  written  language. 


I      1 
<      - 

o     s 


PAET   V 


EXPLORATIONS 


Paper     I.  Reconnoissance  of  the  Koynknk  River.  Alaska.     By  Second  Lieut.  B.  H. 

Camden,  R.  C.  S. 
Paper  II.  Reconnoissance  of  the  Dall  River-Koyukuk  Trail.     By  Third  Lieut.  Bugexe 

Blake,  R.  C.  S. 


5661—03 34  23; 


PAPEE  I. 

4 

RECONNOISSANCE    OF   THE    KOYUKUK   RIVER, 

ALASKA. 

By  Second  Lieut.  B.  H.  Camden,  R.  C.  S. 


17.  S.  S.  Xunivak, 
Fort  Shoemaker,  Doll  River,  Alaska. 
Sir:  Herewith  is  inclosed  a  report  of  the  reconnoissance  of  the 
Koyukuk  River  made  by  me  in  obedience  to  your  orders  of  June  5; 
also,  the  names  and  conditions  of  the  vessels  boarded  on  that  river 
and  all  the  information  pertaining"  to  the  mining  region  that  I  was 
able  to  obtain. 

Very  respectfully,  B.  H.  Camdex. 

Second  Lieutenant,  Revenue-  Cutter  Service. 
First  Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  S., 

Cf/rnmanding  TJ.  S.  S.  JVunwak. 


Sir:  In  obedience  to  your  orders  of  June  5,  I  took  passage  on  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company's  steamer  Leah,  Captain  Young  com- 
manding, bound  for  the  headwaters  of  the  Koyukuk  River,  with  pas- 
sengers and  freight  from  Dawson,  Northwest  Territory. 

The  following  morning  we  stopped  at  Koyukuk  Station,  one  of  the 
eompanj-  stations,  6  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Koyukuk,  on  the 
Yukon  River,  and  loaded  the  vessel  and  two  barges  in  tow  with  wood. 
Pilot  Hastings  and  two  Indians  came  on  board  to  pilot  the  steamer  up 
the  river  to  her  destination. 

At  noon  we  cast  off  and  steamed  up  the  Yukon,  entering  the  mouth 
of  the  Koyukuk  about  two  hours  later.  The  first  view  of  the  river  is 
disappointing,  the  water  being  muddy  and  the  current  sluggish,  while 
the  banks  are  low  and  marshy.  After  the  first  day,  however,  the  sur- 
rounding country  became  more  attractive  and  interesting,  although 
the  scenery  does  not  equal  that  along  the  Yukon. 

The  second  day  after  entering  the  river,  June  8,  we  met  the  British 
steamer  Florence  S.  coming  down  the  river,  returning  from  a  trip  to 

239 


240 

Peavy,  where  she  had  landed  passengers  and  freight  from  Dawson 
under  the  supervision  of  Special  Custodian  S.  Pond.  I  hoisted  a  rev- 
enue flag,  called  her  to  the  bank,  and  went  on  board.  After  satisfying 
myself  that  she  had  complied  with  the  law,  and  upon  receiving  Mr. 
Pond's  statement  that  he  had  no  complaint  to  make,  the  vessel  was 
allowed  to  proceed  to  Circle  City. 

On  our  way  up  the  river  we  were  forced  to  land  two  or  three  times 
each  day  to  take  on  wood,  which  appeared  to  be  scarce  and  piled  in 
small  quantities;  hence  we  were  unable  to  procure  much  fuel  at  one 
place. 

June  10  we  passed  Arctic  City,  reported  as  having  been  the  previous 
year  the  most  populous  and  thriving  camp  on  the  river.  Two  vessels 
in  winter  quarters  near  there  loaned  their  electric  light  plants  to  the 
settlement,  so  that  the  200,  more  or  less,  inhabitants  had  their  cabins 
and  streets  lighted  by  electricity. 

The  camp  is  now  deserted;  its  departed  glory  and  prosperous  days 
are  only  attested  by  an  array  of  14  deserted  cabins  of  fair  size  and 
structure. 

Two  hours  later  we  arrived  at  Bergman,  5  miles  above  Arctic 
City,  the  metropolis  of  the  river.  At  this  point  a  store  owned  by  the 
firm  of  Pickart  &  Bettles  supplies  the  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding- 
country  with  provisions,  etc.  The  population  of  Bergman  is  variable, 
but  averages  about  15  whites  and  100  Indians. 

The  steamers  Victoria  and  Edith  M.  Kyle,  15  tons,  were  tied  up  to 
the  bank  here,  the  latter  vessel  being  out  of  commission.  Upon 
boarding  the  Kyle^  I  learned  that  she  had  been  bought  the  previous 
day  by  Pickart  &  Bettles,  and  was  in  charge  of  a  licensed  master, 
but  that  her  papers  had  expired.  Mr.  Charles  Pickart  stated  that  the 
vessel  had  been  inspected  at  Nulato  the  previous  year  by  the  Govern- 
ment inspectors,  who  had  promised  to  send  her  papers  by  the  first 
mail,  which  was  then  on  its  way  to  Bergman,  but  that  it  was  not  their 
intention  to  run  the  vessel,  as  they  had  purchased  her  for  her  machin- 
ery, which  they  desired  for  mining  purposes.  They  requested  per- 
mission to  run  her,  light,  up  the  river  as  far  as  possible  and  there  gut 
her  of  her  machinery.  This  I  gave  them  permission  to  do,  provided 
that  only  licensed  men  were  employed  to  run  the  vessel  and  that  they 
took  no  passengers  or  freight. 

At  11  p.  m.  on  the  10th  instant,  it  now  being  broad  daylight  during 
the  entire  twenty-four  hours,  we  cast  off  from  Bergman  and  headed 
up  the  river,  with  the  steamer  Victoria  ahead  to  act  as  pilot,  her 
draft  being  but  20  inches,  while  the  draft  of  the  Leah  was  5  feet. 
Although  we  were  favored  with  an  unusually  high  stage  of  water,  yet, 
on  account  of  the  sinuous  channel  and  many  submerged  bars,  we 
grounded  many  times  before  reaching  Peavey,  50  miles  above  Bergman, 
once  remaining  on  a  bar  five  hours,  where  we  were  forced  to  leave  our 


241 

two  barges.  However,  we  landed  at  Peavey  the  next  evening.  The 
camp,  consisting  of  some  15  to  20  cabins,  is  deserted,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  land  office,  which  is  occupied  by  Mr.  Rose,  the  land  com- 
missioner.    Peavey  is  1  mile  from  the  river  on  Peavey  Slough. 

While  the  Leah  was  taking  on  wood  at  the  junction  of  the  Middle 
and  South  forks  of  the  Koyukuk,  I  visited  Union  City,  situated  on  the 
south  fork  about  2  miles  from  the  junction.  The  settlement,  which 
is  deserted,  consists  of  several  good,  substantial  houses  and  one 
sawmill. 

After  leaving  Peavey  our  objective  point  was  Bettles,  the  new  station 
where  Pickart  &  Bettles  have  a  store,  28  miles  from  Peavey,  up  the 
Middle  Fork  of  the  Koyukuk  River. 

The  river  at  Peave}T  had  now  narrowed  to  150  feet  in  width,  or  less, 
with  numerous  short  and  sharp  bends,  while  the  current  ran  fully  6 
miles  an  hour,  making  it  almost  impossible  for  the  vessel  to  make  any 
progress  upstream  and  also  rendering  her  most  difficult  to  manage. 
For  four  hours  we  made  strenuous  efforts  to  stem  the  current — 
dashing  from  one  side  of  the  river  to  the  other,  smashing  into  snags 
and  bars — but  only  made  5  miles.  At  last  we  reached  a  point  where 
the  river  made  an  abrupt  turn  and  the  current  increased,  which  proved 
our  Waterloo. 

We  tied  up  to  the  bank  to  await  the  return  of  the  Victoria  from  an 
expedition  upriver  to  ascertain  the  depth  of  water,  to  make  a  recon- 
noissance  of  the  channel,  and  to  judge  of  the  advisability  of  making 
the  attempt  to  proceed  farther  with  the  Leah  in  case  she  succeeded  in 
stemming  the  current.  The  Victoria,  on  account  of  her  size  and  light 
draft,  was  able  to  make  the  sharp  turns  of  the  channel  and  also  keep 
closer  to  the  shore  and  avoid  the  swiftest  water. 

On  June  13  the  water  dropped  rapidly,  leaving  the  Leah  hard 
aground  in  3  feet  of  water,  her  draft  being,  as  I  have  mentioned,  5 
feet. 

The  same  evening  a  canoe  came  down  the  river  with  a  message  from 
Captain  Hill  of  the  Victoria,  saying  that  the  Victoria  was  stuck  fast 
15  miles  up  the  river  and  unable  to  move.  Captain  Young  then  decided 
to  make  no  further  effort  to  reach  Bettles,  and  notified  the  passengers, 
numbering  110,  of  his  intention  to  land  them,  their  effects,  and  all  his 
cargo,  consisting  of  160  tons  of  provisions,  on  the  bank  where  the 
vessel  was  then  tied  up. 

This  was  accomplished  the  following  day,  the  passengers  putting  up 
tents,  so  that  by  evening  quite  a  village  was  standing  on  the  shore. 
This  settlement  was  called  Youngs  City,  in  recognition  of  the  ability 
shown  by  Captain  Young  in  reaching  this  advanced  point  on  the  river, 
many  of  the  miners  not  expecting  to  get  above  Bergman,  56  miles 
below.  From  Youngs  City  it  will  be  necessary  for  the  miners  to  pole 
in  small  boats  to  their  destinations,  about  75  miles. 


242 

Mr.  Bettles,  owning  the  store  at  Bettles,  from  which  station  the 
miners  procure  their  provisions  and  supplies,  stated  that  their  stock 
of  provisions  was  very  nearly  exhausted  at  Bettles,  there  being  only 
a  sufficient  quantity  to  last  the  miners  then  in  the  country  until  July  1 
(about  two  weeks).  In  order  to  prevent  this  scarcity  of  food  he 
requested  that  the  Dorothy,  a  small  steamer  of  light  draft,  lying  about 
22  miles  above  Peavey,  abandoned  and  placed  in  his  hands  for  sale,  be 
allowed  to  transfer  his  stock  landed  by  the  Leah  to  Bettles.  To  this 
request  I  acceded,  stipulating,  however,  that  the  vessel  should  only 
make  the  necessary  number  of  trips  to  transport  his  cargo,  and  that 
they  should  not  cany  passengers  for  hire. 

At  midnight  on  the  18th  instant  the  water  rose  rapidly,  rising  2  feet 
in  four  hours,  and  floated  the  Leah.  We  cast  off,  but  were  obliged  to 
back  down  the  river  below  Peavey  before  the  river  widened  sufficiently 
to  permit  us  to  turn  the  vessel's  head  downstream. 

Stopping  at  Peavey,  I  boarded  the  American  steamer  James  Dietrich, 
New  York,  laid  up  in  charge  of  the  land  commissioner,  Mr.  Rose. 

Just  below  Bergman  the  Leah  cracked  her  shaft,  and  for  the 
remainder  of  the  trip  was  forced  to  steam  slowly  with  the  current. 

A  steamer  built  to  be  employed  on  the  Koyukuk  River  should  not 
be  over  100  feet  in  length,  with  a  draft  of  not  over  2£  feet  loaded,  and 
should  have  extra  rudder  power.  Provision  should  also  be  made  for 
clarifying  the  water  for  the  boilers. 

The  following  vessels  are  laid  up  on  the  Koyukuk  River:  American 
steamers  Edith  M.  Kyle,  Boston,  Bergman;  Dorothy,  Boston,  22  miles 
above  Peavey;  Luella,  Chicago,  30  miles  above  Peavey,  sunk — frozen 
to  the  bottom;  James  Dietrich,  New  York,  at  Peavy. 

The  American  steamer  Citj  of  Paris,  owned  and  operated  b}T  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company,  is  the  only  steamer  plying  on  the 
Koyukuk  at  the  present  time. 

THE    KOYUKUK    RIVER. 

Upon  entering  the  mouth  of  the  Koyukuk  River,  after  steaming  up 
the  Yukon,  one  is  inclined  to  believe  that  the  vessel  has  headed  up  a 
slough,  for  the  water  is  muddy,  narrow  in  width,  and  the  current 
sluggish.  However,  notwithstanding  its  appearance,  the  river  drains 
a  large  extent  of  territory,  the  area  of  which  is  approximately  30,000 
square  miles.  Its  course  is  constantly  changing,  frequently  turning 
through  180°  and  heading  in  a  parallel  but  opposite  direction,  so  that 
the  river  is  not  only  difficult  to  navigate,  but  very  tedious  to  follow  on 
account  of  the  many  sharp  turns  in  the  channel.  At  one  point  on  the 
river  (see  Part  1,  chart,)  the  river  makes  a  3-mile  bend  and  the  two 
channels  approach  within  50  feet  of  each  other,  only  a  narrow  high- 
cut  bank  intervening.  This  is  only  one  of  its  many  similar  turns,  as 
a  glance  at  the  chart  will  show. 


243 

The  width  of  the  river  varies  from  a  quarter  to  a  third  of  a  mile  at 
the  lower  end,  widening  to  a  half  mile  in  a  few  places,  and  gradually 
narrows  to  150  feet  at  Peavey.  nearly  600  miles  from  the  mouth. 

The  depth  of  water  can  not  be  relied  upon,  as  the  river  is  subject  to 
many  rises  and  falls  during  the  summer,  especially  on  its  upper  por- 
tion. I  was  informed  by  a  man  of  experience  that  a  vessel  drawing  4 
feet  of  water  could  safely  count  on  reaching  Bergman  at  any  stage  of 
the  water.  All  that  I  can  add  to  this  information  is  that  during  low 
water  no  vessel  drawing  over  3  feet  of  water  should  attempt  to  go 
through  the  cut-off  (Part  II,  chart),  as  the  depth  of  water  at  either 
end  will  not  exceed  that.  The  water  being  high  at  the  time  we  started 
up  the  river,  the  Leah  went  through  the  "cut-off,"'  which  I  was 
assured  was  about  50  miles  long,  and  cut  off  about  54  miles,  or,  in 
other  words,  the  distance  by  the  Suskita  channel  was  104  miles.  Mr. 
James  Adamson,  C.  E. ,  a  passenger  on  the  second  trip  of  the  Leah,  at 
which  time  the  Suskita  channel  was  followed,  sketched  the  river  and 
sent  me  his  notes.  From  this  data,  after  connecting  the  two  channels, 
I  find  that  the  lengths  of  the  cut-off  and  Suskita  channel  are  35  and 
47  miles,  respectively,  so  that  while  the  percentage  of  distance  ;?aved 
b}^  the  cut-off  is  considerable,  yet  on  account  of  the  narrow  and  wind- 
ing channel — the  width  of  the  cut-off  being  not  over  150  feet — I  am  of 
the  opinion  that  the  Suskita  channel  is  preferable  for  steamboats  of 
any  size,  judging  from  the  information  and  data  sent  by  Mr.  Arm- 
strong. 

The  current  in  the  lower  part  of  the  river  is  very  sluggish,  the 
strength  varying  from  1  to  2  miles  per  hour,  but  increases  rapidly 
after  passing  through  the  cut-off  until  it  has  attained  a  velocity  of  6 
miles  at  Peavey. 

The  cut  banks,  some  of  which  are  glacier,  as  a  rule  indicate  the 
channel.  Generally  speaking,  to  follow  the  channel  a  vessel  must 
keep  close  to  the  cut  banks  and  avoid  the  points. 

One  of  the  most  noticeable  features  of  the  Koyukuk  River  is  the 
formation  of  its  bars,  which  are,  almost  without  exception,  composed 
of  gravel,  differing  materially  from  those  of  the  Yukon  River,  which 
are  sand.  Gold  is  reported  to  have  been  taken  in  quantities  from 
some  of  these  bars,  the  most  noteworthy  of  which  is  Hughes  Bar, 
near  Mountain  City,  at  the  upper  end  of  Part  III,  as  shown  in  the 
chart,  where  it  is  said  three  men  took  out  $9,000  in  one  summer.  As 
we  passed  the  bar  I  saw  the  sluice  boxes,  but  the  camp  was  deserted. 
Considering  the  latter  fact,  I  am  inclined  to  believe  the  geld  scales 
were  inaccurate. 

Mastodon  Bank,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  Stink  Bank  (Part  I), 
is  of  glacial  formation  and  seems  to  be  the  graveyard  of  quite  a 
number  of  mastodons,  for  the  natives  have  found  many  teeth  and 
bones  belonging  to  that  animal,  while  in  warm  weather  an  unpleasant 


244 

odor  (to  put  it  mildly)  pervades  the  atmosphere,  due  to  decaying" 
carcasses.  It  is  probable  that  a  herd  of  mastodons  was  overtaken  by 
some  disaster,  the  remains  being  preserved  in  the  ice  in  which  they 
are  embedded  and  the  carcasses  becoming  exposed  from  time  to  time 
by  the  current  cutting  into  the  bank  during  an  unusually  high  water. 
I  could  not  make  a  close  examination  of  the  bank,  as  we  did  not  stop, 
but  I  saw  a  projecting  bone,  while  the  odor  needed  no  closer  inves- 
tigation to  prove  its  existence. 

The  timber  along  the  river  consists  of  spruce,  birch,  cotton  wood, 
and  willow.  Below  the  cut-off  the  timber  is  of  sparse  growth,  and 
consequently  fuel  is  scarce,  although  this  is  probably  due  in  some 
measure  to  the  small  number  of  natives  living  on  the  river  and  to 
their  inborn  reluctance  to  wield  an  ax.  Cord  wood  is  worth  from 
$10  to  $15  per  cord.  On  the  upper  river  spruce  is  more  abundant, 
and  fuel  is  much  easier  to  obtain. 

The  principal  tributaries  along  the  navigable  portion  of  the  river 
are:  On  the  right  bank,  the  Manillaratsitah,  Gissakakat,  Cotillakakat, 
Hodatic,  Dogitskakat,  Hosyekakat,  Little  Hogatsikakat,  and  Hogat- 
sikakat  rivers;  on  the  left  bank,  the  Dulebekakat,  Katillakakat,  Kota- 
chikakat,  and  the  Batskakat  rivers. 

Upon  comparison  with  the  general  chart  of  the  Koyukuk  River,  I 
find  that  there  is  quite  a  difference  in  the  names  and  locations  of  a  few 
of  the  rivers.  The  Batskakat  River,  as  pointed  out  to  me  by  the  native 
pilot,  flows  into  the  Koyukuk  on  the  left  bank,  while  the  general 
chart  shows  it  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river.  The  pilot  also  informed 
me  that  this  river  heads  in  the  Melozikakat  range  of  mountains,  which 
is  on  the  left  bank.  1  have  made  no  attempt  to  make  the  two  charts 
agree  and  have  spelled  the  names  phonetically. 

"  Kakat,"  the  termination  of  the  names  of  most  ol  the  rivers,  is  a 
native  word  signifying  "the  mouth  of;"  thus,  Dulebekakat  means  the 
mouth  of  the  Dulebe. 

The  Koyukuk  River  skirts  the  Manillaratsitah,  Malamute,  Suskita, 
and  Kowak  ranges  of  mountains  lying  in  the  northwest  and  the  Yukon 
Hills  and  Melozikakat  to  the  southeast  of  the  river  valley.  The  ele- 
vations of  these  mountain  ranges  vary,  approximately  from  2,000  to 
4,000  feet. 

The  Suskita  Range  has  a  cone-shaped  mountain  in  its  range  which 
has  a  very  sharp  peak;  this  mountain  is  approached  nineteen  times  by 
the  river  before  it  is  finally  rounded. 

Red  Mountain  (upper  end  of  Part  III,  chart)  contains  some  iron 
formation  from  which  its  name  is  derived.  The  town  of  Bergman  is 
painted  with  paint  made  from  a  mineral  substance  obtained  from  this 
mountain,  and  it  is  said  to  make  an  excellent  red  paint. 

The  low  ground  adjacent  to  the  rive/  is  marshy  and  is  dotted  with 
lakes  and  sloughs,  which  are,  in  the  open  season,  the  homes  of  num- 


OF  THE 

245  I  un*versity 


OF 


berless  ducks  and  geese;  large  game,  such  as  bear,  moose,  caril^ 
and  wolves,  is  plentiful,  the  caribou  being  most  numerous  in  the  coun- 
try contiguous  to  the  Melozikakat  Range,  entered  through  Spellacy 
Gulch  (noted  on  Part  III,  chart). 

No  authentic  reports  of  the  discovery  of  quartz  or  coal  along  the 
navigable  portion  of  the  river  have  been  received,  although  Pilot 
Hastings  claimed  to  have  discovered  a  coal  mine  about  3  miles  above 
the  mouth  of  the  Batskakat  River,  on  the  right  bank,  which  I  was 
informed  by  other  parties  was  not  coal,  but  slate. 

The  ice  breaks  about  the  same  time  as  the  Yukon  ice,  but  does  not 
run  out  with  an}7  great  force,  I  imagine,  and  so  it  would  very  likely 
be  a  good  place  to  winter  a  vessel. 

The  natives  along  the  river  do  not  differ  from  the  Yukon  natives, 
except  in  their  language.  The  total  population  residing  on  the  river 
is  not  over  300.  Fishing  in  the  summer  and  hunting  and  trapping  in 
the  winter  is  their  chief  occupation  and  means  of  subsistence. 

THE    CHART. 

In  sketching  the  inclosed  chart  I  have  endeavored  to  make  it  as 
accurate  as  the  instruments  employed — viz,  a  watch,  liquid  compass, 
and  a  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  sketchbook — would 
permit. 

The  distances  are  calculated  from  the  revolutions  of  the  wheel,  mak- 
ing due  allowances  for  the  depth  of  water  and  the  current,  which  I 
observed  frequently. 

The  sketch  is,  however,  sufficiently  accurate  to  enable  anyone  with 
a  knowledge  of  river  navigation  to  follow  the  channel,  providing  it 
has  not  shifted,  and  avoid  the  larger  shoals  and  obstructions  to 
navigation. 

The  map  is  drawn  to  a  scale  of  seven -eighths  of  an  inch  to  1  mile 
and  shows  the  channel  followed  by  the  Leah  and  its  magnetic  bearings, 
the  natural  bends  of  the  river,  the  names  and  mouths  of  its  tributaries, 
the  names,  approximate  positions,  and  distances  of  the  adjacent  moun- 
tain ranges  and  lakes,  the  prominent  landmarks,  the  location  of  all 
points  obstructing  or  dangerous  to  navigation,  the  distances  between 
all  points  on  the  navigable  portion  of  the  river  and  their  distances 
from  the  mouth,  the  names  and  locations  of  the  various  settlements 
along  the  river,  including  deserted  mining  camps  and  Indian  villages, 
the  comparative  quantity  and  kinds  of  timber,  the  location  of  wood 
yards,  the  width  of  the  river,  the  depth  of  the  water  in  shoal  places, 
and  the  strength  of  the  current. 

The  notes  and  information  concerning  the  country  were  gathered 
from  Mr.  Hastings,  pilot  (to  whom  I  am  much  indebted),  the  Indian 
pilots,  and  the  experienced  miners  on  the  river. 


246 


Table  of  distances. 

[From  mouth  of  river  through  the  Cut  Off  channel— add  12  miles  to  obtain  the  distance  by  way  of 

Suskita  channel.] 

Miles. 

"A"  (sheet  1,  break  in  river) 139 

Whirlpool  (sheet  1) 196 

Cut  Off  (sheet  2,  lower  junction ) 240 

Cut  Off  (sheet  2,  upper  junction) 275 

Hog  River  (sheet  2) 300 

Batskakat  River  (sheet  3) 374 

Argonaut  City  (sheet  3) 422 

Mountain  City  (sheet  3) 457 

Arctic  City  (sheet  4) 498 

Bergman  (sheet  4) 504 

South  Fork  Junction  (sheet  4) 556 

Peavy  (sheet  4) 560 

Total  length  of  river  by  chart,  572  miles  via  Suskita  channel. 

THE    KOYUKUK    MINING    DISTRICT. 

The  mining  district  includes  all  the  territory  lying  north  of  Berg- 
man and  south  of  the  Davidson  Mountains,  drained  by  the  Allenka- 
kat  River  and  North,  Middle,  and  South  forks  of  the  Koyukuk  River 
and  their  tributaries.  The  accompanying  chart  and  data  were  com- 
piled from  information  received  from  one  of  the  most  experienced 
miners  of  this  territory — a  man  who  has  considerable  interests  in  the 
country  and  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  explored  portion  of  this 
region. 

The  "prospects"  here  given  were  found  previous  to  or  during  the 
spring  of  1900. 

The  Davidson  Mountains  extend  from  the  headwaters  of  the  Kowak 
to  the  Mackenzie  River,  their  elevation  being  from  3,000  to  7,000 
feet.  North  of  this  range  no  mineral  indications  have  been  discov- 
ered, although  a  few  miners  crossed  the  range  last  summer  to  explore 
and  prospect  the  valleys  of  the  Colville  River  and  its  tributaries. 
Along  the  southern  border  of  these  mountains  is  a  clearly  denned 
channel;  its  surface  is  of  washed  gravel  and  its  elevation  about  400 
feet.  This  washed  gravel  has  been  traced  from  Rapid  Cit}r,  on  the 
Allenkakat  River,  to  the  North  Fork  of  the  Koyukuk,  where  it  is 
subdivided  into  four  divisions,  as  shown  by  the  dotted  lines  on  the 
chart. 

A  careful  study  and  examination  of  this  peculiar  formation  has  led  to 
the  general  adoption  of  the  theory  that  the  now  elevated  channel  once 
formed  the  bed  of  a  river,  changed  by  some  upheaval  of  the  earth. 
From  its  general  direction  it  is  believed  to  have  flowed  into  Bering 
Sea  near  Cape  Nome,  the  new  gold  field  of  Alaska. 


247 

Most  of  the  prospects  found  and  most  of  the  development  work 
performed  have  been  in  this  channel. 

The  following  creeks  and  bars  have  been  prospected  and  worked  to 
some  extent: 

Tributaries  of  the  Allenkakat  River. — On  Rocky  Bottom  Creek  a 
75-cent  nugget  was  found.  Also  good  prospects  on  Sudden  Creek. 
The  Little  Malamute  River,  Rocky  Bottom  Creek,  and  Dead  Dog 
Creek  have  not  been  prospected  or  even  explored  at  their  headwaters, 
which  rise  near  the  center  of  the  district. 

Tributaries  of  the  Middle  Fork. — On  Wild  Creek  good  prospects 
were  found  running  from  1  to  2  grains  of  platinum  to  15  grains  of 
gold.  Bettles  has  a  coal  mine  on  this  creek.  Tramway  Bar  is  a  high 
point  in  the  washed  gravel  channel,  and  the  latest  reports  are  that 
Bettles  is  extracting  considerable  gold  with  a  hydraulic  plant.  On 
Myrtle  Creek  200  men  were  at  work  last  summer  making  good  wages. 
Slate  Creek  is  also  considered  good  property  and  is  being  developed. 
The  amount  of  gold  taken  from  these  two  creeks  is  unknown.  Two 
Swedes  jumped  "No.  9,"-  Myrtle  Creek,  and,  it  is  said,  took  out 
$5,000  before  the  return  of  the  owner.  Later  this  claim  was  aban- 
doned, as  the  pay  streak  ran  into  a  glacier. 

Tributaries  of  the  North  Fork. — Alder  and  Florence  creeks  are 
being  developed;  the  prospects  found  considered  good  enough  to 
warrant  the  work.     Bettles  has  a  quartz  claim  on  Chicken  Creek. 

Tributaries  of  the  South  Fori'. — Gold  Bench  and  Eagle  Cliff  bars 
are  similar  in  formation  to  Tramway  Bar.  Development  work  last 
summer  showed  6  cents  to  the  pan.  On  Davis  Creek  10  cents  to  the 
pan  was  found  before  reaching  bed  rock,  but  was  abandoned  on 
account  of  the  scarcity  of  food. 

In  June,  1900,  the  number  of  miners  at  work  on  these  creeks  was 
estimated  to  be  360.  This  number  was  probably  increased  to  500  dur- 
ing the  summer.  The  result  of  their  work  is  not  yet  definitely  known, 
although  very  encouraging  but  not  thoroughly  reliable  reports  have 
been  received  from  there  this  winter,  and  man}'  parties  have  started 
from  Fort  Yukon  by  the  Chandeleur  route  to  verify  them. 

The  great  obstacle  to  be  overcome  by  the  miners  of  this  district  is 
the  scarcity  of  food  and  other  supplies.  Up  to  the  present  time  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  is  the  only  company  that  has  made  an 
effort  to  supply  the  miners  of  this  district  with  provisions.  Qn 
account  of  the  remoteness  of  the  gold-bearing  creeks,  the  nearest 
source  of  supplies,  Bettles,  is  some  75  miles  away.  The  cost  to  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  of  getting  these  provisions  to  this  station 
is  enormous,  and  hence  flour,  bacon,  and  the  actual  necessaries  of  life 
must  not  only  be  hauled  75  or  100  miles  by  the  miner  to  his  camp,  but 
can  only  be  purchased  for  an  enormous  sum. 


248 

As  soon  as  this  obstacle  is  removed  it  is  possible  that  the  Koyukuk 
mining  district  will  rank  with  any  of  the  gold  fields  known  in  Alaska 
at  the  present  time. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

B.  H.  Camden, 
Second  Lieutenant,  JR.  C,  S. 
First  Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  S., 

Commanding  TJ.  8.  S,  Nunivak. 


PAPER  II. 

RECONXOISSANCE  OF  THE  DALL  RIVER-KOYUKUK 

TRAIL,  ALASKA. 

By  Third  Lieut.  Eugene  Blake,  R.  C.  S. 


IT.  S.  S.  Nunivak, 
Fort  Shoemaker,  Doll  River,  Alaska. 

Sir:  I  have  to  submit  the  following  account  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  expedition  from  this  vessel,  for  the  exploration  of  the  Dall  River 
trail,  during  the  months  of  January  and  February,  1900. 

In  accordance  with  your  verbal  instructions  the  expedition  left  the 
Nunivak  about  9  a.  m.  on  the  morning  of  Januaiy  11,  all  preparations 
having  been  previously  made.  First  Assistant  Engineer  H.  N.  Wood, 
R.  C.  S.,  of  this  vessel,  and  myself  made  up  our  party,  and  accom- 
panying us  were  Messrs.  Godley  and  Dyer,  two  prospectors  bound  for 
the  Koyukuk,  who  had  been  stopping  aboard  for  several  days.  It 
was  intended  that  we  should  travel  together  and  be  of  mutual  assist- 
ance to  one  another  in  any  difficulties  that  might  arise.  None  of  us 
had  ever  been  through  this  part  of  the  country  before,  but  as  much 
information  as  possible  had  been  obtained  from  the  natives  in  this 
vicinity,  and  as  there  had  been  considerable  travel  over  the  trail 
during  the  early  winter,  little  trouble  was  anticipated  in  being  able  to 
follow  it. 

The  outfit,  which  was  limited  to  such  articles  as  were  absolutely 
necessary,  consisted  of  an  ordinary  amount  of  camping  gear — tent, 
cooking  utensils,  Yukon  stove,  etc.  (the  stovepipe  being  fitted  to  tele- 
scope and  stow  inside  the  stove,  together  with  the  cooking  utensils),  a 
sleeping  robe  apiece,  one  sack  of  extra  clothing  each,  rifles,  shotgun 
and  ammunition,  two  pairs  of  snowshoes,  and  provisions  for  two  men 
and  five  dogs  for  twenty-one  days.  The  different  articles  of  provisions 
were  each  placed  in  a  separate  sack,  made  for  the  purpose,  and  the 
whole  stowed  in  a  mess  chest  made  to  fit  the  sled.  A  small  pocket 
compass,  an  aneroid  barometer  (pocket),  and  a  thermometer  were  the 
only  instruments  taken.  The  weight  of  the  sled  when  loaded  was 
about  450  pounds. 

249 


250 

After  five  hours  of  exceedingly  heavy  traveling  over  a  rough  and 
crooked  trail,  we  are  compelled  to  camp  on  account  of  darkness,  at  a 
point  not  more  than  seven  miles  from  the  ship.  One  of  the  steering 
handles  of  the  sled  had  been  broken  off  soon  after  the  start,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  heavy  heaving  to  which  it  had  been  subjected,  and  the 
sled  was  otherwise  badly  strained.  Mr.  Godley  reported  soon  after 
camping  that  he  had  broken  a  runner  during  the  day,  and  that  it  would 
be  necessary  for  him  to  return  to  Dall  River  for  repairs  before  he 
could  proceed  farther. 

The  following  morning  was  cold,  the  thermometer  having  fallen  to 
46°  below  zero.  The  day  was  spent  in  making  such  repairs  to  the  sled 
as  were  possible  with  the  tools  and  materials  at  our  disposal. 

The  thermometer  showed  a  temperature  of  56°  below  zero  the  next 
morning,  January  13,  and  in  view  of  this  extreme  weather  it  was 
deemed  best  not  to  break  camp.  Not  wishing  to  remain  idle,  however, 
and  since  we  had  found  our  load  rather  bulky  for  the  size  of  the  sled, 
about  1 50  pounds  of  provisions  were  gotten  together  and  conveyed  to 
a  point  10  miles  out  the  trail  and  there  cached.  Mr.  Godley  returned 
with  his  sled  to  Dall  River. 

On  January  11  the  cold  weather  showed  no  signs  of  breaking 
(thermometer,  —55°),  and  I  decided  to  return  to  the  Nunivak  with 
the  sled  in  order  to  replace  the  provisions  that  had  been  consumed 
during  this  unlooked-for  delay.  Upon  my  arrival  at  the  ship  1 
reported  to  3011  what  had  been  done,  and  received  your  orders  to 
return  to  camp  the  next  morning,  secure  the  tent  and  cache  the  sup- 
plies, and  to  bring  in  the  whole  party  to  await  some  change  in  the 
weather.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and  at  5  p.  m.  on  January  15 
the  party  returned  to  the  JYunivcd'. 

On  January  16,  IT,  and  18  the  coldest  weather  of  the  winter  was 
experienced,  the  thermometer  never  getting  above  —52°,  and  reaching 
a  minimum  temperature  of  63°  below  zero. 

The  weather  broke  on  the  19th  instant,  and  on  the  21st  Mr.  Wood 
and  I  left  the  vessel  at  9  a.  m.  with  four  dogs  and  the  empty  sled  to 
pick  up  our  camp  and  proceed  with  the  expedition.  Mr.  Godley  and 
his  partner  had  in  the  meanwhile  become  discouraged  by  the  recent 
unfavorable  reports  of  the  Ko}Tukuk  country,  and  had  brought  in 
their  outfit  and  departed  in  another  direction. 

We  experienced  the  same  difficulty  in  keeping  the  trail  as  we  had 
on  our  first  start,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  second  day  out  rigged  a 
"gee  pole"  to  the  sled.  This  is  a  sort  of  shaft  lashed  to  the  sled 
and  by  which  the  sled  is  steered;  one  man  being  harnessed  ahead  with 
the  dogs.  It  is  in  general  use  in  this  part  of  the  country,  and  we 
found  that  it  greatly  facilitated  the  handling  of  the  sled. 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  after  leaving  the  Nunivak,  we 
reached  the  point  where  the  trail  crosses  the  Dall  for  the  first  time 


251 

after  leaving  its  mouth.  Between  the  mouth  and  this  point  we  had 
followed,  in  a  general  north-north-westerly  direction,  a  system  of 
lakes.  13  in  number,  separated  by  distances  varying  from  a  few  hun- 
dred yards  to  2  or  3  miles.  The  trail  from  lake  to  lake  is  generally 
well  blazed  and  easy  to  find,  there  being  enough  timber  to  prevent  its 
drifting  badly.  After  crossing  the  Dall  the  trail  again  follows  a  suc- 
cession of  small  ponds  and  sloughs,  too  numerous  to  be  taken  into 
account,  which  finally  end  in  a  large  lake,  on  the  right  of  which  the 
first  foothills  commence  to  rise.  The  course  of  the  Dall  can  be  easily 
traced  on  the  left  by  the  dense  growth  of  timber  along  its  banks. 

The  whole  region  between  the  river  and  the  large  lake  is  evidently 
dotted  with  hot  springs.  We  passed  quite  a  number,  the  water  from 
which  had  glaciered  over  the  trail,  forming  a  slush  under  the  snow 
wherever  it  could  gain  its  covering,  but,  of  course,  freezing  where 
exposed.  1  noticed  the  same  effect  produced  by  the  overflow  of  water 
near  the  heads  of  streams,  and  we  were  inconvenienced  not  a  little  by 
this  later  on.  The  most  remarkable  of  these  springs  had  formed, 
where  it  crossed  the  trail,  a  stream  about  6  feet  in  width,  and  registered 
a  temperature  of  40°  above  zero,  although  there  was  no  appreciable 
current  and  notwithstanding  the  recent  severe  weather  to  which  it 
has  been  subjected.  The  source  of  this  stream  was  evidently  at 
some  distance.  The  end  in  sight  disappeared  under  the  snow,  which 
had  formed  a  natural  bridge  over  it,  and  the  other  wound  its  way 
through  a  dense  growth  of  willows  toward  the  foothills  on  our  right. 
As  such  phenomena  are  common  in  high  latitudes,  I  did  not  consider 
it  necessary  to  investigate  further. 

About  5  miles  beyond  the  large  lake  the  trail  again  descends  into 
the  bed  of  the  Dall  and  follows  it  for  a  little  over  a  mile.  After  leav- 
ing the  river  we  commenced  to  ascend  a  low  divide,  or,  rather,  sidehill, 
and  on  the  other  side  of  this  we  again  crossed  what  we  took  at  the 
time  to  be  the  Dall,  but  subsequently  proved  to  be  the  right  or  north 
fork  of  that  river.  At  the  top  of  the  divide  mentioned  we  had  come 
to  a  point  where  the  trail  forked,  and  had  followed  the  one  which 
showed  the  latest  signs  of  travel.  It  happened  that  the  expedition 
that  had  preceded  us  had  taken  the  wrong  trail,  and  we  naturally  made 
the  same  mistake.  They  had  been  good  enough,  however,  to  leave 
some  signs  in  the  trail,  and  on  reaching  these  we  immediately  saw 
that  something  was  wrong  and  camped  to  investigate. 

The  next  morning,  January  25,  we  spent  in  locating  ourselves,  and 
it  was  not  until  late  in  the  afternoon  that  we  had  made  sure  of  our 
position.  Feeling  reasonably  certain  that  we  were  on  the  north  fork, 
and  as  it  had  been  included  in  my  orders  to  look  into  this  creek  on  my 
way  back  from  the  main  divide,  I  decided  that  it  would  be  best  to 
finish  this  matter  at  once,  being  already  a  number  of  miles  upstream 
and  a  day's  travel  from  the  main  trail. 
5661—03 35 


252 

January  26,  27,  and  28  were  devoted  to  exploring  this  creek.  We 
found  a  number  of  prospectors'  holes  on  the  right-hand  branch  (see 
chart)  and  some  traces  of  quartz  and  ruby-bearing  rock,  but  had  no 
means  of  ascertaining  anything  definite.  At  the  "  forks"  of  the  other 
branch  we  found  two  prospectors.  They  were  not  very  enthusiastic 
over  their  winter's  work,  and  intended  to  return  to  Fort  Hamlin  as 
soon  as  they  reached  bed  rock  in  the  hole  they  were  then  sinking.  We 
obtained  from  them  what  information  we  could  regarding  the  Koyukuk 
trail,  and  confirmed  our  supposition  that  the  side  trail  on  the  divide 
was  the  correct  one. 

On  the  morning  of  January  29  we  set  out  to  return  to  the  main 
trail,  intending  to  follow  the  north  fork  until  we  should  strike  the 
Dall  proper,  but  we  were  prevented  from  doing  this  by  the  water 
which  had  glaciered  over  the  ice,  and  were  finally  compelled  to  back 
track  and  take  the  side  trail  down  the  divide. 

The  main  trail,  after  leaving  the  north  fork,  follows  the  bed  of  the 
Dall,  making  only  a  few  portages.  We  were  inconvenienced  very 
much  by  water  and  our  progress  was  slow.  At  a  number  of  points 
the  trail  forked,  and  some  time  was  wasted  in  each  case  in  determining 
which  was  the  right  one.  Four  days  after  leaving  our  camp  on  the 
north  fork  we  entered  what  is  known  as  the  "  Box  Canyon  "  of  the  Dall. 
The  name  is  misleading,  there  being  nothing  in  the  nature  of  the  sur- 
roundings to  warrant  the  designation  "canyon,"  the  place  itself  being 
merely  what  is  locally  known  as  a  ' 4  draw  "  in  the  hills.  At  the  entrance 
of  this  so-called  canyon  the  river  divides,  f ormin^an  island  about  a  mile 
in  length,  on  which  are  two  cabins  formerly  occupied  by  prospectors. 
The  water  was  very  much  in  evidence  all  along  the  trail  above  this 
point,  but  the  cold  snap  of  the  night  of  January  31  had  made  it  passa- 
ble in  most  places.  At  1.30  p  m.,  having  traveled  up  this  draw  about 
8  miles,  we  reached  a  cabin,  the  fourth  since  entering  the  "canyon" 
and  last  on  this  side  of  the  divide,  and  decided  to  camp  there  for  the 
night  and  go  the  remaining  13  miles,  which  we  estimated  separated 
us  from  the  top,  in  the  morning, 

The  next  morning,  February  2,  as  soon  as  it  was  light  enough  to  see 
the  trail  we  started  out  on  snowshoes,  leaving  our  outfit  secured  in 
the  cabin.  The  day  was  comparatively  warm  (thermometer  +5°),  with 
a  strong  easterly  wind,  which  increased  as  we  got  above  the  timber  line 
to  a  strong  gale,  whirling  the  snow  in  clouds  and  thus  making  any 
observations  of  the  country  through  which  we  had  passed  impossible. 
About  11  a.  m. ,  having  reached  a  point  within  a  mile  or  two  of  the  top, 
we  were  both  suddenly  made  to  realize  what  would  have  to  be  faced 
to  return  to  camp  by  being  almost  simultaneously  knocked  down  by 
the  wind.  We  then  decided  that  it  would  be  unwise  to  proceed  farther, 
particularly  as  nothing  more  could  be  seen  than  from  our  present 
point  of  observation.     We  climbed  the  side  of  the  gulch  on  our  left, 


253 

hoping  to  get  some  general  idea  of  the  lay  of  the  mountains,  but  could 
see  nothing  of  importance.  The  aneroid  showed  an  elevation  of  900 
feet  above  our  last  camp,  and  from  subsequent  comparison  with  the 
instrument  on  board,  an  elevation  of  1,500  feet  above  the  Yukon  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Dall. 

There  was  still  a  strong  breeze  the  next  morning,  with  every  appear- 
ance of  another  stormy  day,  and  as  our  provisions  were  not  sufficient 
to  allow  us  to  wait  for  better  weather,  to  make  another  attempt,  we 
set  out  for  the  Nunivak. 

The  return  trip  was  without  incident  worthy  of  note.  We  had 
become  by  this  time  hardened  to  the  unusual  exertions  necessary  to 
"mushing,"  and  had  gained  some  knowledge  of  how  to  travel  and 
handle  a  sled.  Knowing  the  character  of  the  ground  ahead  of  us,  we 
were  able  to  travel  longer  than  we  otherwise  would  have  done,  and  we 
reached  the  ship  on  the  evening  of  February  5,  three  da}rs  after  leav- 
ing our  camp  in  the  cabin  at  the  head  waters  of  the  river. 

The  weather  throughout  the  trip  had  been  comparatively  good. 
We  had  been  bothered  b}-  snow  a  little  at  times,  but  the  day  on  the 
divide  was  the  only  one  that  could  be  complained  of.  The  thermome- 
ter had  ranged  from  a  few  degrees  above  zero  to  50°  below. 

No  large  game  whatever  was  seen.  Ptarmigan  were  plentiful,  and 
enough  were  shot  from  the  trail  while  traveling  to  furnish  fresh  meat 
for  ourselves  and  dogs  every  day  Several  coveys  of  grouse  were 
seen,  and  a  few  shot. 

A  chart  of  the  trail  is  at  present  in  preparation,  and  will  be  sub- 
mitted to  you  as  soon  as  it  is  finished. 
Very  respectfully, 

Eugene  Blake,  Jr., 
Third  Lieutenant,  Revenue-  Cutter  Service, 

in  Charge  of  Expedition. 

First  Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  S., 

Commanding  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak. 


PART   VI 


REPORT 

OF  THE 

MEDICAL  OFFICER  OF  THE  U.  S.  STEAMER  NUNIVAK; 

YUKON  RIVER,  ALASKA, 

MADE  UNDER  THE  DIRECTION  OF  FIRST  LIEUT.  J.  C.  CANTWELL, 
R.  C.  S.,  COMMANDING. 


BY 

Surg.  JAMES  T.  WHITE,  R.  C.  S. 


19G1. 


255 


PAPER  III. 



REPORT  OF  THE  MEDICAL  OFFICER  IT.  S.  STEAMER 

NUNIVAK. 

By  Surg.  James  T.  White,  R.  C.  S. 


IT.  S.  S.  Nunivak, 
St.  Michael,  Alaska,  /September  30, 1901. 
Sir:  In  obedience  to  verbal  instructions,  I  respectfully  submit  the 
following  report  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1901,  taken  from  the 
records  of  the  dispensary  as  kept  on  this  vessel. 
Respectfully,  yours, 

James  T.  White, 
Surgeon,  Revenue-  Cutter  Service. 
First  Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  S., 

Commanding. 


Sir:  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  IT.  S.  S.  McCulloch  at  St.  Michael,  June 
25,  1900,  in  obedience  to  Department  orders  (dated  May  21,  1900),  I 
reported  for  duty  on  board  this  vessel,  and  the  following  da}T  relieved 
my  predecessor,  Dr.  H.  E.  Pratt. 

Everyone  on  board  was  bus}T  attempting  to  restore  order  out  of  the 
confused  mass  of  provisions  and  ship  chandlery  that  had  been  dumped 
on  our  decks  from  the  cutters  bringing  our  supplies.  This,  with  the 
granting  of  discharges  and  shipping  new  men,  kept  all  hands  well 
occupied  until  the  vessel  was  placed  on  quarantine  duty. 

In  the  latter  part  of  June  of  1900,  during  the  height  of  the  rush  to 
Nome,  two  vessels  arriving  there  from  Seattle,  the  Oregon  and  the 
Ohio,  were  found  to  have  smallpox  on  board.  The  passengers  on 
the  former  vessel  were  landed  before  the  fact  was  discovered,  but  the 
latter  vessel  was  detained  by  the  authorities  and  three  of  the  passen- 
gers, who  showed  symptoms  of  the  disease  at  the  time,  were  placed  on 
Egg  Island.  The  vessel,  with  the  remaining  passengers  on  board,  was 
kept  in  quarantine  until  all  danger  of  other  cases  developing  had 
passed.     Egg  Island,  where  the  smallpox  patients  were  placed,  is  a 

257 


258 

small  rocky  islet  in  Norton  Sound,  some  10  miles  from  St.  Michael. 
Here  a  camp  of  tents  was  established  and  placed  in  charge  of  a  physi- 
cian. Within  a  week  following  the  arrival  of  the  last-named  vessel 
smallpox  appeared  in  the  town  of  Nome. 

At  this  time  numbers  of  people,  disappointed  with  their  prospects, 
were  returning  to  St.  Michael  on  their  way  to  the  several  places  on 
the  Yukon  River,  and,  the  reports  from  Nome  becoming  so  alarming, 
it  was  feared  the  disease  would  be  brought  to  St.  Michael  and  from 
here  spread  to  the  interior.  Should  smallpox  once  have  become  estab- 
lished on  the  river,  with  the  then  existing  complications  of  measles 
and  influenza,  it  would  have  swept  the  Yukon  Valley  like  wildfire,  and 
not  only  would  the  natives  have  suffered,  but  also  the  several  mining 
camps  of  white  people.  To  prevent  any  such  spreading  of  this  dis- 
ease, the  general  commanding  the  Department  of  Alaska,  by  order 
(July  2,  1900)  established  a  quarantine  against  all  vessels  from  Nome 
and  all  other  points  on  the  coast  to  the  westward.  The  army  authori- 
ties at  this  time  having  no  boat  which  could  be  utilized  to  efficiently 
board  incoming  vessels,  the  commanding  officer  of  the  Nunivak  ten- 
dered the  services  of  his  command  to  General  Randall  for  this  duty, 
and  his  offer  was  accepted.  The  Nunivak  was  accordingly  anchored 
in  a  position  where  all  vessels  or  boats  entering  the  harbor  could  be 
observed,  and  a  constant  surveillance  and  patrol  of  the  port  were 
maintained  as  long  as  the  quarantine  lasted.  The  steam  launch  of  the 
Nunivak  was  used  in  boarding  vessels  and  overhauling  small  boats, 
and  when  occasion  made  it  necessary  to  lay  the  launch  up  for  repairs 
it  was  replaced  by  pulling  boats  and  by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany's steam  launch,  which  was  kindly  loaned  for  the  purpose  by  the 
manager  of  that  company. 

At  first  the  length  of  time  that  vessels  were  to  be  restrained  in 
quarantine  was  left  to  the  surgeon  of  this  vessel,  and  was  by  him 
placed  at  fourteen  days,  but  on  July  21,  by  order  of  the  General  com- 
manding the  department,  the  time  was  reduced  to  eight  days,  just  long 
enough  to  cause  considerable  inconvenience  to  commerce  and  insuffi- 
cient to  prevent  the  landing  of  smallpox.  This  order  was  met  with  a 
protest  from  myself,  and  which  was  sustained  by  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  Nunivak.  Fortunately,  however,  at  this  juncture  the 
disease  had  been  so  far  controlled  at  Nome,  and  as  no  new  cases 
appeared  on  the  vessels  detained  at  Egg  Island,  the  quarantine  was 
raised  and  the  Nunivak  resumed  her  usual  duties. 

At  Nome  the  disease  at  first  appeared  to  spread  and  at  one  time  18 
cases  were  reported,  but  through  the  efficient  and  untiring  efforts  of 
the  authorities  there  all  fear  of  an  epidemic  was  soon  allayed,  and  no 
new  cases  having  developed  for  some  time,  the  quarantine  against 
Nome  was  raised  July  24.  But  in  the  meantime  reports  were  received 
that  smallpox  had  appeared  in  Dawson,  Y.  T.,  among  people  arriving 


259 

from  the  States  via  Skagwa}%  whereupon  all  boats  from  up  the  river 
were  ordered  to  be  inspected.  Only  one  vessel  from  this  point  was 
boarded,  the  steamer  Oudaky,  having  on  board  a  number  of  people 
belonging  to  a  variety  troupe  bound  for  Nome.  Her  bill  of  health 
showed  that  the  Dawson  authorities  were  taking  all  precautions  neces- 
sary, so  on  the  evening  of  July  25  quarantine  against  all  points  was 
raised  and  pratique  given  to  all  vessels. 

The  quarantine  had  existed  twenty-four  days,  and  during  that  time 
all  vessels  entering  St.  Michael  Harbor,  39  in  number,  were  boarded, 
and  21  of  these  were  detained  at  Egg  Island.  The  first  vessels  to 
arrive  from  Nome  after  the  establishment  of  the  quarantine  were 
crowded  with  passengers,  and  all  were  clamorous  to  get  ashore.  No 
one,  however,  was  permitted  to  land,  and  all  communication  with  St. 
Michael  was  absolutely  forbidden.  No  smallpox  appeared  among 
those  detained  on  the  quarantined  fleet  and  none  was  reported  in  the 
town.  There  was  but  one  suspect  case,  which  was  soon  proven  to  be 
measles.  All  mail  originating  at  Nome  or  that  had  lain  in  the  Nome 
post-office  was  fumigated  on  board  this  vessel  before  being  delivered 
to  the  St.  Michael  post-office,  the  fumugation  being  accomplished  by 
first  perforating  the  letters  and  then  subjecting  them  to  the  fumes  of 
burning  sulphur,  burned  in  a  box  with  a  crated  bottom  for  want  of  a 
better  apparatus.     In  this  way  four  lots  of  mail  was  fumigated. 

The  summer  of  1900  was  an  exceptionally  warm  and  dry  one 
throughout  the  Bering  Sea  and  arctic  coasts.  Having  no  records  at 
hand,  comparisons  with  former  years  can  not  be  made,  but  the  records 
kept  on  board  this  vessel  while  in  St.  Michael  this  summer  (1900)  give 
a  mean  temperature  of  54.71°  F.  for  the  month  of  July,  with  a  maxi- 
mum of  72°  F. ,  and  for  the  first  two  weeks  of  August  at  the  same 
place  a  mean  of  50.60°  F.,  with  a  maximum  of  62c  F.  At  first  glance 
these  figures  would  appear  to  indicate  rather  cool  weather,  but  it  must 
be  considered  that  St.  Michael  is  in  latitude  63c  28'  north,  and  on  a 
coast  exposed  to  a  continuous  arctic  current,  so  that  the  mean  tem- 
perature would  be  rather  low.  The  precipitation  for  the  month  of 
July  was  1.17  inches,  which  was  said  to  be  considerably  below  the 
average. 

Early  in  the  summer  influenza  appeared  among  the  natives  at  St. 
Michael  and  those  living  around  Norton  Sound.  This  soon  became 
epidemic  in  character  and  the  death  rate  was  very  high,  for  in  some 
cases  the  influenza  was  followed  b}T  a  fatal  attack  of  pneumonia.  The 
epidemic  rapidly  spread,  and  finally  included  the  white  population  as 
well  as  the  native.  Following  closely  on  this,  about  the  1st  of  July, 
measles  in  a  mild  form  appeared  among  the  natives  and  rapidly  spread 
through  their  quarter  of  the  settlement,  a  few  cases  among  the  infants 
proving  fatal.  At  first  the  measles  was  confined  to  the  native  popula- 
tion, but  on  August  11  it  appeared  among  the  white  people. 


260 

It  was  difficult  to  keep  a  record  of  cases  on  board  this  vessel  at  this 
time,  as  the  crew  was  changing  from  day  to  day.  Most  of  those  who 
had  served  during  the  past  winter  were  leaving  and  new  men  being 
enlisted.  But  during  our  stay  in  St.  Michael  there  were  on  board 
but  four  cases  of  influenza  and  one  of  measles,  though  there  were  a 
number  of  cases  of  sore  throat  at  the  same  time.  The  one  case  of 
measles  was  peculiar  in  that  the  patient,  though  of  Caucasian  parent- 
age, was  born  at  Andreaof sky,  on  the  Yukon  River,  not  far  from  its 
mouth. 

About  the  middle  of  July  reports  were  brought  in  of  great  destitu- 
tion, sickness,  and  death  among  the  natives  of  the  surrounding  coun- 
try. From  Surgeon  Hawley,  of  the  U.  S.  S.  Bear,  it  was  learned 
that  this  same  condition  existed  along  the  coast  as  far  north  as  Cape 
Prince  of  Wales  and  on  the  Siberian  side  from  Indian  Point  to 
within  the  neighborhood  of  Cape  Serdze  Kamen;  that  on  St.  Law- 
rence Island  the  natives  were  dying  so  fast,  and  so  many  of  the 
remaining  were  sick,  that  the  dead  were  left  where  they  lay  or 
simply  removed  out  of  doors,  out  of  the  way,  and  there  left  to  the 
mercies  of  the  dogs.  Reports  of  about  the  same  nature  also  came  to 
us  from  the  Yukon  River  and  from  the  coast  south  of  the  delta. 

Similar  epidemics  have  appeared  in  past  years  among  the  coast 
natives,  each  time  leaving  them  fewer  in  numbers  than  before.  The 
natives  claim  that  the  present  epidemic  is  due  to  the  unusually  dry 
and  warm  season,  and  this,  no  doubt,  is  the  principal  factor.  It  does 
not  seem  reasonable  to  believe,  as  some  claim,  that  the  cause  is  to  be 
found  in  the  sudden  influx  of  white  people  to  this  region,  for  influ- 
enza in  epidemic  form  is  not  new  to  these  people. 

The  number  of  deaths  among  the  coast  tribes  could  not  be  ascer- 
tained. At  St.  Michael  30  were  reported  to  August  12.  Many 
bodies  were  found  out  on  the  tundra  and  along  the  beaches  unburied. 
In  one  instance  8  bodies  were  found  together  on  the  tundra  within 
half  a  mile  of  the  settlement.  Across  the  harbor  were  two  or  three 
camps  containing  some  15  people.  These  I  attended  at  different 
times,  but  most  of  the  cases  were  looked  after  by  the  army  post  sur- 
geons and  the  physician  in  the  employ  of  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company. 

The  necessity  for  this  vessel  remaining  at  St.  Michael  no  longer 
existing,  preparations  were  begun  for  the  trip  up  the  Yukon  River 
and  for  the  arctic  winter  to  come.  Considering  the  nature  of  the 
reports  from  that  part  of  the  country  through  which  we  would  pass, 
it  was  deemed  advisable  to  take  an  extra  supply  of  provisions  to  be 
distributed  among  such  people  as  we  might  find  in  want,  and  numbers 
of  such  were  found  before  we  reached  our  winter  quarters. 

Everything  now  being  in  readiness,  the  Nunivah  left  St.  Michael  on 


261 

the  evening  of  August  13,  and  after  an  uneventful  trip  across  Pastolik 
Bay  entered  the  Aphoon  mouth  of  the  Yukon  River. 

The  first  natives  met  with  on  the  river  are  families  of  Eskimo  living 
on  the  coast,  but  who  in  summer  come  into  the  delta  for  the  salmon, 
seal,  and  waterfowl  which  are  here  in  great  numbers.  This  great 
treeless  tundra  of  the  delta,  a  desolate  waste  cut  up  into  islands  of 
every  size  and  shape  b}7  sloughs  that  run  in  every  direction,  was  once 
well  peopled,  but  is  now  almost  deserted.  Some  have  moved  to  the 
coast  and  some  up  the  river,  but  most  of  the  former  inhabitants  have 
died. 

At  Kwikpak  Crossing  we  found  a  fishing  camp  of  11  people,  mostly 
children.  Their  story  was  the  same  as  that  told  by  the  natives  at  St. 
Michael.  They  had  all  been  too  sick  to  fish  and  they  were  now  with- 
out food.  We  found  ±  of  the  men  quite  sick  with  pulmonarj^  conges- 
tion following  influenza,  and  learned  that  6  had  recently  died. 

This  was  a  typical  Eskimo  fishing  camp — a  camp  that  may  be  seen 
in  summer  on  any  part  of  the  coast  from  Point  Barrow  south.  The 
tents  are  made  of  white  drilling,  in  shape  usually  like  our  wall  tents. 
A  few  boards,  if  they  can  be  found,  are  laid  on  the  ground  inside,  and 
on  these  are  laid  straw  mats  or  deerskins.  This  is  their  workshop, 
their  loafing  place,  and  their  bed.  Around  the  sides  of  the  tent  and 
piled  up  in  the  corners  is  a  miscellaneous  assortment  of  domestic  and 
hunting  implements  and  boxes  of  all  sizes  filled  with  treasures  valu- 
able only  to  an  Eskimo.  In  front  of  the  entrance  is  a  smoky  fire  of 
driftwood,  almost  smothered  with  black,  soot-covered  kettles.  On 
one  side  are  frames  where  salmon  hang  drying  in  the  sun.  Near  by  is 
the  family  omiak,  or  large  skin  boat,  turned  on  its  side  and  used 
partially  as  a  storehouse.  On  the  beach  is  a  ka}^ak  or  two.  Here  and 
there,  hanging  up  to  dry,  are  fish  nets  and  lines,  and  sometimes  a 
dozen  or  so  yards  of  seal  entrails  are  hung  up  with  them.  And  every- 
where, mostly  under  foot,  are  dogs  and  children,  and  in  seasons  of 
plenty  the  latter  are  lively,  noisy,  fat,  and  greasy. 

Andreaofsky,  on  the  Swetlaretchka  River,  about  2  miles  from  its 
mouth.and  some  125  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon,  is  one  of  the 
oldest  trading  posts  on  the  river.  This  is  the  inland  border  of  the 
tundra.  In  the  ravines  are  a  few  spruce,  the  first  straggling  outpost 
of  the  forests,  but  around  the  mouth  of  the  river  are  the  same  wil- 
low-covered flats  as  before. 

At  one  time  Andreaofsky  was  quite  a  settlement,  but  now  there  are 
only  two  traders,  their  families,  and  a  few  native  assistants,  some  25  in  all. 
Nearly  all  of  these  were  suffering  from  either  influenza  or  measles. 
Measles  had  only  recently  appeared  and  was  of  rather  a  mild  type,  but 
influenza  appeared  early,  before  the  fishing  was  half  over,  and  in  quite 
a  severe  form. 


262 

According  to  Mr.  Fredricks,  agent  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany, the  spring  and  summer  had  been  excessively  dry  and  hot,  the 
temperature  going  as  high  as  80°  F.  in  the  shade  on  several  occasions — 
a  degree  almost  unknown  in  this  country  so  near  the  coast— and  to 
make  it  more  sultry  and  oppressive,  the  country  was  covered  with 
smoke,  though  no  fires  could  be  seen. 

Six  deaths  were  reported  up  to  this  time  (August  16),  one  occurring 
the  day  after  our  arrival.  Mr.  Fredricks  being  quite  ill  himself,  and 
having  no  one  to  assist  him,  at  his  request  the  carpenter  made  a  coffin, 
and  a  detail  of  men  was  sent  ashore  to  attend  to  the  burial. 

While  here  a  native  came  in  a  kayak  from  the  village  at  Petkas 
Point,  some  3  or  4  miles  down  the  Yukon,  requesting  us  to  come  to 
their  assistance,  for,  as  he  put  it,  "Everybody  sick;  plenty  people  die; 
one  man  die  pretty  soon,  I  think." 

At  Petkas  Point  is  a  village  of  some  65  people,  and  named  after 
Petka,  a  Russian  creole,  as  the  Russian  half-castes  are  known  in  this 
country,  who  is  the  headman,  church  deacon,  and  trader.  This  vil- 
lage is  one  of  the  worst  we  saw  on  the  river.  The  people  appear  to  be 
in  abject  poverty,  their  houses  and  tents  are  filthy,  and  no  effort  seems 
to  be  made  to  have  either  order,  cleanliness,  or  comfort.  On  the 
point  is  a  large  encampment  of  people  who  have  come  from  the  delta 
and  from  the  coast  to  the  south,  and  whom  we  were  told  were  here  to 
get  away  from  sickness  then  prevailing  in  their  homes;  but  they  had 
not  bettered  themselves,  for  the}^  were  all  sick.  They  had  had  measles 
and  were  then  suffering  mostly  from  pulmonary  complications.  At 
this  village  12  had  died  to  date  (August  17),  including  the  visitors. 

In  one  very  small  tent  we  found  a  man  very  sick  with  pneumonia, 
and  covered  up  beside  him  was  the  body  of  another  native  who  had 
been  dead  several  days.  No  arrangement  for  the  burial  of  the  body 
had  been  made,  and  it  was  only  after  considerable  coaxing  and  threats 
that  two  boys  were  induced  to  assist  in  the  work  of  giving  the  body 
burial. 

The  houses  here  are  one-room  structures  built  of  logs.  Along  two 
sides,  built  against  the  wall,  are  wide  shelves  or  platforms,  on  which 
they  sit,  "tailor  fashion,"  to  do  their  sewing,  mending,  or  carving  in 
the  daytime  and  which  serve  as  their  beds  at  night.  Several  families 
live  in  the  same  house,  and  these  shelves  are  divided  into  spaces  by 
boxes,  trunks,  or  bags  containing  the  personal  property  of  the  occu- 
pant. These  spaces  are  not  long  enough  for  an  adult  to  lay  at  full 
length,  so  these  people  sleep  doubled  up.  The  beds  consist  of  a  straw 
mat  laid  on  boards  that  have  been  hewn  from  logs,  and  are  none  too 
smooth  or  even,  and  their  bed  covering  is  usually  a  blanket  of  rabbit 
skin.  The  floor  is  the  hard,  well-trodden  earth,  and  in  the  center  is 
the  open  fireplace  where  all  the  cooking  is  done.  The  ceiling  is  low, 
and  the  rafters  are  hung  with  dried  fish  and  other  food  stuffs,  so  low 


263 

that  they  brush  against  one's  head  unless  great  care  is  observed  in 
moving  about  the  house.  At  the  back  is  usually  a  framework  on  which 
is  piled  the  miscellaneous  implements  and  utensils  of  the  household. 

At  this  place  there  is  a  native  bath  house,  often  called  a  Russian  bath, 
not  an  uncommon  object  in  all  the  villages  of  the  lower  river,  for  these 
people  delight  in  taking  steam  baths  during  the  winter.  This  house 
was  built  of  logs  and  covered  with  turf,  the  only  openings  being  a  smoke 
hole  in  the  roof,  which  is  usually  covered  with  a  skin,  and  the  entrance 
a  low  doorway  that  can  be  tightly  closed.  Along  the  sides  are  shelves 
built  against  the  wall  at  about  the  height  of  a  table,  with  a  log  under- 
neath for  a  foot  rest.  In  one  corner  is  the  fireplace,  built  of  stones 
and  covered  over  with  a  pile  of  slabs  of  shale-like  rock.  Under  this  a 
fire  is  built,  and  when  the  stones  become  heated  buckets  of  water  are 
thrown  over  them,  filling  the  room  with  vapor.  The  bathers  sit  or  lie 
on  the  benches,  and  when  they  have  had  enough  steaming  wash  them- 
selves with  soap  and  water.  At  some  of  the  places  it  is  the  custom, 
after  being  thoroughly  steamed,  to  rush  out  of  doors  and  rub  off  with 
snow,  when  they  return  and  resume  the  steaming.  We  were  told  that 
they  used  soap,  and  in  fact  we  saw  some  in  this  bath  house,  but  from 
the  general  appearance  of  most  of  those  seen  in  the  village  soap  and 
water  baths  had  not  been  particularly  popular  for  some  time. 

A  young  woman  who  was  said  to  belong:  to  the  coast  south  of  the 
delta  was  observed  to  be  wearing  labrets  in  the  lower  lip.  Among 
the  Eskimos  north  of  here  this  form  of  personal  adornment  is  confined 
entirely  to  the  men,  but  it  is  said  that  between  the  delta  and  Bristol 
Ba}r  the  labret  is  worn  only  by  the  women.  In  this  case  the  labret 
consisted  of  a  string  of  four  beads  fastened  to  a  brass  button  which 
was  inserted  into  a  hole  in  the  lower  lip,  one  string  on  either  side, 
about  halfway  between  the  corners  of  the  mouth  and  the  median  line. 

About  20  miles  above  Pitkas  Point  we  stopped  at  a  village  of  5  houses 
occupied  by  20  people,  most  of  whom  were  sick  with  either  influenza 
or  measles.  In  one  small  house  were  found  5  or  6  people,  some  of 
whom  were  very  sick.  The  place  was  dark,  damp,  and  dismal,  the 
fireplace  was  cold,  and  an  odor  of  rotting  fish  permeated  everything. 
The  inmates  were  lying  about  on  their  beds,  some  covered,  some 
uncovered.  In  one  corner  was  a  girl  of  about  fourteen  years,  entirely 
nude,  whose  body  was  covered  with  the  red  rash  of  measles.  Food 
and  medicines  were  left  for  the  use  of  these  poor  people,  and  we  hur- 
ried on. 

A  quarter  of  a  mile  above  here  was  another  village  of  3  houses  and 
some  10  people.  All  of  these  were  sick  with  measles  and  influenza, 
and  many  had  died.  The  surviving  members  of  this  community  were 
half  starved  and  helpless,  and  after  burying  the  dead  and  leaving  food 
and  medicines  for  the  living  we  were  compelled  to  proceed  on  our  way 
up  the  river.     During  the  evening  of  Augfust  18  we  met  the  steamer 


264 

Louise  bound  down  the  river.  Medical  assistance  was  rendered  a 
white  man  suffering  with  pulmonary  tuberculosis  who  had  been 
"  prospecting"  the  country  and  who  was  a  passenger  on  board. 

At  Ikogmute  is  a  mission  under  the  charge  of  the  Russian  Church. 
This  is  one  of  the  oldest  places  on  the  river,  the  old  church  having  been 
built  in  1851.  There  were  only  some  35  or  40  people  here  when  we 
stopped,  but  in  the  winter  the  place  has  about  250  inhabitants.  Most 
of  the  people  at  this  time  (August  19)  were  away  fishing  at  various 
places  on  the  river.  The  fishing  usually  lasts  until  the  latter  part  of 
September,  and  though  salmon  have  been  very  plentiful  this  season, 
the  great  amount  of  sickness  prevented  the  people  from  taking  advan- 
tage of  the  run.  Fish  is  the  customary  and  best-liked  food,  though  the 
abundant  supply  of  game  in  this  region  is  also  utilized  as  food.  A 
varietjr  of  woodland  caribou,  a  smaller  animal  than  is  found  either  up 
the  Yukon  or  on  the  more  southern  rivers,  is  hunted  by  these  natives, 
and  also  a  small  black  bear,  which  is  quite  numerous  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, especially  in  the  late  summer,  when  it  comes  down  from  the 
mountains  to  the  rivers  for  berries  and  fish. 

Edible  berries  are  very  plentiful,  especially  the  red  raspberry,  in 
every  way  like  the  cultivated  fruit,  the  red  and  black  currant,  and  the 
salmon  berry.  These  are  all  gathered  in  great  quantities  by  the  natives 
and  eaten  fresh.  They  do  not  appear  to  have  any  method  of  preserv- 
ing these  berries  for  use  in  winter.  A  few  of  the  plants  are  used  as 
medicines,  the  virtues  of  which  were  taught  them  by  the  Russian 
priests,  and  this  is  the  only  place  on  the  river,  so  far  as  our  observa- 
tion showed,  where  the  natives  use  any  of  the  plants  as  drugs.  The 
astringent  fruit  of  the  high-bush  cranberry-  is  eaten  to  stop  hemor- 
rhage from  the  lungs,  and  the  stems,  in  winter,  are  made  into  a  tea 
which  is  drunk  for  the  same  purpose.  They  also  use  a  variety  of  cam- 
momile  for  colic  in  children,  making  a  tea  of  the  green  leaves,  and 
the  dried  petals  are  used  as  an  astringent  dressing  for  wounds. 

Most  of  the  native  houses  are  of  good  size  and  are  occupied  by  two 
or  more  families.  They  are  built  of  logs,  the  front  being  finished 
with  the  logs  smoothed  and  placed  perpendicularly.  In  the  center  of 
this  front,  about  2  feet  above  the  ground,  is  the  entrance,  an  oval  hole 
just  large  enough  to  admit  one's  body.  Neither  the  sides  nor  the  roof 
are  tight.  The  wind  blows  through  and  the  rain  comes  in,  and  they 
are  wet  and  cold,  dark,  evil  smelling,  and  decidedly  uncomfortable. 
The  rafters  are  hung  with  the  usual  assortment  of  dried  fish,  dried 
entrails,  strings  of  thong,  and  other  valuables.  On  either  side  are  the 
benches  on  which  the  family  beds  are  made.  In  the  center  of  the  dirt 
floor  is  the  fireplace,  over  which  hang  kettles  and  pots,  black  with  ages 
of  accumulated  soot  and  grease.  In  some  of  the  houses,  however,  the 
fireplace  was  occupied  by  a  modern  cook  stove. 

The  summer  here,  as  elsewhere,  had  been  one  of  the  hottest  known, 


265 

and  the  great  amount  of  sickness  was  attributed  in  a  great  measure  to 
this.  The  natives  all  had  measles  early  in  the  season,  but  in  quite  a 
it  ild  form,  and  there  were  but  few  deaths  resulting.  Father  Korchin- 
skr,  the  parish  priest,  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  measles  was  intro- 
duced by  the  whites,  as  the  centers  of  contagion  from  which  it  spread 
along  the  river  were  the  more  important  places  where  all  the  boats 
stopped,  but  so  far  as  is  known  no  case  of  measles  arrived  at  St. 
Michael  on  the  steamers  from  the  outside.  When  we  were  there 
influenza  with  its  various  complications  was  raging.  Besides  this 
there  were  seen  3  cases  of  pulmonary  tuberculosis,  5  cases  of  chronic 
conjunctivitis,  3  cases  of  purulent  conjunctivitis,  1  deaf  and  dumb  man 
due  to  an  injury  received  in  infancy,  and  2  cases  of  hemiplegia  due 
to  injury.  Both  of  these  cases  were  women,  one  being  a  cripple 
through  the  brutality  of  her  husband.  During  the  month  previous 
to  our  arrival  there  were  24  deaths,  only  4  of  which  were  children, 
for,  as  at  other  points  on  the  river,  the  worst  cases  and  the  majority  of 
deaths  were  among  the  older  adults.  During  our  short  stay  there 
were  3  deaths,  making  27  in  all  to  date. 

Fifteen  miles  above  Ikogmute  is  Dog  Fish,  the  most  miserable  little 
village  imaginable.  There  were  only  8  people  here,  all  that  were  left 
of  30  or  40,  the  original  population.  The  rest  had  either  died  or  moved 
away.  These  8  all  claimed  to  be  too  sick  to  move  about  and  attend  to 
their  own  wants,  but  this  inability  to  work  was  not  alone  due  to  sick- 
ness,, but  also  to  discouragement,  a  giving  up,  a  generally  demoralized 
condition. 

In  one  house  were  some  half  dozen  people  l}Ting  on  their  beds,  or 
benches  which  serve  as  such,  apparently  awaiting  their  end.  They 
seemed  utterly  indifferent  to  our  presence,  and  did  not  appear  to  care 
whether  the}^  were  helped  or  not.  Some  food  left  for  them  was  placed 
on  the  floor,  when  one  of  the  men  called  us  back  and  asked  us  to  move 
the  stuff  onto  a  shelf,  for,  as  he  said,  it  might  get  wet  where  it  was. 
In  another  house  was  a  family  of  four,  all  lying  on  their  beds,  wet 
and  dirtv,  too  sick  or  discouraged  to  move  or  even  build  a  fire.  What 
they  had  eaten  recently  we  did  not  know,  for  nothing  cooked  could  be 
seen  and  the  only  food  in  the  house  was  some  moldy  dried  fish.  In  a 
little  tent,  wet  and  cold,  was  a  man  alone  and  very  sick,  the  last  of  his 
family.  After  all  of  the  others  had  died  he  moved  out  of  his  house  to 
end  his  days  in  this  miserable  little  tent,  without  fire  or  wood  or  even 
food.  When  we  gave  him  some  flour  and  bacon  he  smiled  and  asked 
us  how  he  was  going  to  eat  it,  for  he  had  no  way  to  cook,  and  of  course 
none  of  his  neighbors  would  assist  him,  even  if  they  were  able  to  do  so, 
as  they  never  do.  In  many  of  the  houses  and  caches  were  salmon, 
recently  caught,  but  from  want  of  care  they  were  rotting. 

We  did  not  learn  how  man}T  had  died  during  the  summer;  but  5  had 
died  recently,  and  had  remained  unburied  until  the  steamer  Margret 


266 

came,  when  the  crew  performed  that  office.  Most  of  the  graves  made 
by  the  natives  were  very  shallow,  and  the  dogs  played  sad  havoc  with 
the  bodies.  On  the  beach  was  a  human  foot,  where  the  dogs  had  left 
it;  and  on  the  hillside  were  found  various  pieces  that  had  been  dis- 
interred by  these  animals. 

AtKoserefsky,  75  miles  above  Russian  Mission,  are  some  150  natives; 
and  about  300  more  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  most  of  these  latter 
living  on  Shagaluk  Slough.  Located  here  is  Holy  Cross  Mission, 
under  the  charge  of  the  Jesuit  Fathers  and  the  Sisters  of  St.  Anne. 
The  mission  occupies  a  small  sheltered  valley  facing  the  river,  and 
here  have  been  built  some  very  comfortable  houses.  The  most  attrac- 
tive part  of  the  mission  to  a  traveler,  however,  are  the  gardens.  The 
fields  of  cabbages,  cauliflower,  potatoes,  and  turnips  show  what  may 
be  done  in  this  country  in  the  way  of  raising  the  more  hardy  vege- 
tables. One  of  the  sisters  had  a  garden  of  old-fashioned  flowers,  to 
remind  her  of  home,  as  she  said.  ,In  it  were  blooming  sweet  peas, 
petunias,  marigolds,  asters,  pansies,  and  candytuft. 

Measles  and  influenza  were  particularly  severe  here,  and  the  mor- 
tality was  great,  with  all  the  care  given  to  the  natives  by  the  mission 
people;  and  then  following  this  were  a  number  of  severe  cases  of 
d3Tsentery.  There  had  been,  to  the  time  of  our  arrival  (August  22),  12 
deaths,  and  45  more  in  the  neighboring  villages,  some  of  these  latter 
being  almost  depooulated.  About  15  miles  above  here  is  a  small  vil- 
lage where  some  of  the  Fathers  went  to  attend  the  sick,  and  there 
found  15  unburied  bodies.  Many  similar  cases  were  reported  to  us 
from  other  villages. 

The  following  cases  were  seen:  One  case  pulmonary  tuberculosis, 
2  cases  dysentery,  2  cases  pneumonia,  1  gunshot  wound  of  foot  (ampu- 
tated), 1  injured  hand,  caught  in  sawmill  (amputated  two  fingers),  1 
boy  totally  blind  from  some  purulent  inflammation  in  infancy. 

Forty-seven  miles  beyond  Koserefsky  the  Anvik  River  flows  into 
the  Yukon,  and  just  within  its  mouth  is  Christ  Church  Mission,  under 
the  auspices  of  Grace  Church  of  New  York  City.  Here  they  have  a 
schoolhouse,  dormitories  for  both  boys  and  girls,  a  church,  and  a  saw- 
mill. This  last  has  lately  brought  the  mission  considerable  revenue. 
There  are  some  150  natives  here,  including  both  those  at  the  mission 
and  in  the  village  opposite.  They  had  all  been  sick,  and  man}?  were 
so  when  we  were  there.  In  the  mission  hospital  were  10  girls  with 
measles  in  all  stages,  and  3  bo}rs,  2  convalescent  from  measles  and  1 
with  pneumonia.  In  the  village  were  3  cases  of  pneumonia.  Measles 
appeared  about  the  middle  of  July,  followed  by  influenza  and  in  many 
cases  by  pneumonia.  There  had  been  but  5  deaths  reported  to  the 
time  of  our  arrival  (August  23) — 2  from  old  age  and  3  from  influenza, 
being  one  of  the  smallest  death  rates  for  any  of  the  villages,  and  due 
in  a  great  measure  to  the  cleanliness  of  both  the  mission  and  the 
native  village. 


267 

At  Grayling,  22  miles  above  Anvik,  were  only  32  people,  tnough 
the  census  gives  65  as  the  population.  This  place  is  more  of  a  ren- 
dezvous where  the  natives  from  the  surrounding  country  come  in 
summer  to  fish  and  in  winter  to  trade.  Measles  and  influenza  appeared 
among  them  early  in  the  season,  and  after  several  deaths  had  occurred 
the  natives  became  alarmed.  The  shamans  advised  them  to  leave, 
telling  them  that  if  they  did  not  they  would  all  die;  so  many  moved 
over  to  Shagluk  Slough;  but  they  did  not  appear  to  fare  any  better 
there,  for  reports  were  received  saying  there  were  a  great  many  sick 
and  without  food  and  in  a  bad  way  generally.  At  Grayling  we  found 
10  sick — 2  with  dysentery,  3  acute  conjunctivitis,  and  the  remaining 
suffering  from  pulmonary  complications  following  influenza.  There 
.had  been  6  deaths  to  date  (August  23). 

Grayling  is  one  of  the  central  way  stations  for  native  travel,  and 
there  is  always  quite  a  transitory  population  here:  but  it  is  in  the 
winter  that  the  big  gatherings  take  place.  As  in  all  villages  in  this 
section  of  the  country,  they  have  a  kazhim  or  village  club.  It  is  not 
used  in  summer,  but  the  men  live  in  it  during  the  winter,  sleeping  and 
working,  the  married  men  sometimes  going  to  their  homes  for  their 
meals  and  sometimes  having  them  brought  to  them  here.  Only  men 
are  admitted,  women,  girls,  and  boys  being  excluded  except  on  certain 
festive  occasion*  when  dances  are  held.  Here  the  custom  is,  during 
the  winter  when  the  kazhim  is  being  used,  for  the  married  men  to  sleep 
in  it  one  night  and  in  their  own  houses  the  next,  and  so  alternating 
through  the  winter.     This  custom  is  general  throughout  the  country. 

The  kazhim  at  this  place  was  about  15  feet  square  and  6  feet  high 
on  the  sides,  rising  to  10  feet  in  the  center.  It  was  built  of  logs  calked 
with  moss,  and  with  a  roof  of  split  logs  covered  with  a  layer  of  straw, 
and  on  top  of  this  about  a  foot  of  earth.  The  floor  was  of  bare  earth, 
smooth  and  hard  from  the  pressure  of  many  feet.  In  the  center  was 
a  hollow,  some  4  feet  square  and  about  2  feet  deep,  for  the  fireplace, 
and  in  which  a  roaring  fire  is  kept  all  winter.  Around  the  three  sides 
are  wide  transoms  or  benches,  made  from  hewn  logs,  blackened  by 
smoke  and  dirt  and  grease,  and  polished  by  generations  of  trouser  seats 
or  naked  bodies.  They  also  use  the  kazhim  as  a  bath  house  if  the3T 
have  no  other.  When  a  bath  is  desired  large  stones  are  placed  in  the 
fire,  and  when  they  become  heated  water  is  thrown  over  them  and  the 
usual  steam  bath  ensues. 

Some  60  miles  above  Grayling  we  stopped  at  a  small  village  of  14 
people,  living  in  tents  and  makeshift  houses  of  split  logs.  Measles 
had  just  appeared  among  them,  and  there  were  7  sick — tt  measles,  2 
bronchitis,  and  a  baby  with  ophthalmia  neanatorum.  The  number 
of  deaths  could  not  be  ascertained. 

Here  we  saw  examples  of  the  only  native  therapeutic  measure 
observed — puncturing  and  bleeding — resorted  to  on  any  and  all  occa- 

5661—03 36 


268 

sions.  One  woman  had  her  neck  and  shoulders  covered  with  scars, 
and  a  young  man  was  scarred  all  over  his  chest.  In  puncturing  the 
skin  is  pricked  rather  deep  with  a  knife,  or  more  usually  with  a  sharp 
stone,  and  the  wound  kept  open  by  frequent  irritations  until  the  patient 
is  well.  When  bleeding  is  resorted  to  a  vein  is  opened  with  a  similar 
instrument.  In  performing  these  operations  they  appear  to  have  no 
method,  but  puncture  or  bleed  over  the  part  affected.  They  use  no 
plants  or  roots  as  medicine,  and  in  cases  of  sickness  their  chief  reli- 
ance is  placed  in  the  incantations  of  the  shamans. 

The  tattoo  marks  seen  here  on  the  women  differ  from  those  found 
among  the  coast  Eskimo.  Instead  of  two  or  more  narrow  lines  they 
have  here  a  broad  band  from  a  quarter  to  half  an  inch  wide,  extending 
from  the  edge  of  the  lower  lip  to  the  point  of  the  chin. 

About  10  miles  farther  on  we  stopped  at  another  village  of  18  peo- 
ple. Here  we  found  11  sick — 5  with  measles,  2  with  bronchitis,  1  with 
pneumonia,  1  with  corneal  ulcer,  and  2  blind.  The  number  of  deaths 
could  not  be  ascertained. 

At  Nulato  a  Roman  Catholic  mission  (St.  Peter  Claver's)  is  located, 
where  there  is  a  church  and  a  school  for  boys  and  another  for  girls. 
There  were  about  50  people  here  at  the  time  of  our  visit  (August  28), 
20  of  whom  were  sick,  most  of  the  sickness  being  dysentery  and  pul- 
monary troubles.  Nearly  all  had  had  measles,  which  appeared  early 
in  July,  and  most  of  the  cases  seen  were  relapses,  due  to  the  careless 
regard  of  even  the  simplest  laws  of  health  on  the  part  of  the  patients. 
A  detachment  of  the  Signal  Corps  of  the  Army  was  here,  and  the  hos- 
pital steward  attached  had  been  attending  the  natives,  and  was  kept 
busy.  Our  short  stay  prevented  our  seeing  all  of  the  sick,  but  the 
following  were  among  the  principal  cases  attended:  One  case  pulmo- 
nary tuberculosis;  4  cases  dysentery,  quite  severe;  1  purulent  conjunc- 
tivitis; 1  hernia  of  iris  from  injury;  1  vesico-vaginal  hernia  in  a  girl  of 
4  years,  caused  by  a  kick  from  some  male  member  of  the  f amity;  2 
cases  of  acute  vaginitis  in  girls  of  3  and  4  years,  said  to  be  quite  com- 
mon and  due  to  exposure,  want  of  cleanliness,  and  a  scrofulous  condi- 
tion generally;  1  case  hemiplegia  in  a  boy  of  18,  due  to  spinal  injury 
when  an  infant. 

There  had  been  27  deaths  to  date  (August  28). 

On  leaving  Holy  Cross  Mission  we  took  with  us  Rev.  Ragaru,  who 
has  been  connected  with  the  missions  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
on  this  river  for  the  past  thirteen  years.  During  the  trip  it  was  our 
pleasure  to  consult  him  regarding  the  distribution  of  food  and  medi- 
cines, and  before  leaving  us  at  Nulato  he  made  certain  suggestions, 
as  may  be  noted  in  the  following  letter: 

Nulato,  August  21,  1900. 

Over  800  Indians  are  attended  by  St.  Peter  Claver's  Mission,  Nulato.  About  600 
of  these  are  dependent  upon  Nulato  for  their  supplies.  This  summer  the  grip, 
shortly  afterwards  followed  by  the  measles,    spread  among  the  natives  from  St. 


269 

Michael  and  up  the  Yukon,  diseases  imported,  as  it  were,  by  the  steamers  coming  up 
the  river. 

On  account  of  sickness  the  natives  have  been  unable  to  work,  and  will  be  destitute 
this  winter.  Up  to  date  there  have  been  27  deaths  at  Nulato,  and  over  220  are  now 
sick.  Some  of  them  are  expected  to  die.  This  proportion  will  probably  hold  for 
all  neighboring  villages.  The  general  sickness  has  been  so  prevalent  and  so  pros- 
trating that  at  Nulato  the  white  men  have  had  to  dig  the  graves  and  bury  the  dead 
for  the  Indians. 

In  some  neighboring  villages  it  is  reported  that  the  dead  are  left  unburied,  as  none 
of  the  tribe  are  physically  able  to  perform  such  office.  As  an  illustration,  the  vil- 
lages around  Holy  Cross  Mission  (some  200  Indians)  had  49  deaths  to  date.  And 
in  a  village  15  miles  above  Holy  Cross  Mission  a  father  and  two  brothers  had  to 
make  a  trip  from  Holy  Cross  to  the  village  in  order  to  bury  13  corpses  that  the  sur- 
viving Indians  were  unable  to  care  for. 

The  worst  feature  of  the  situation  is  that  now  should  be  the  time  for  the  Indians 
to  catch  and  cure  their  yearly  supply  of  fish,  and  to  fix  up  their  winter  houses  and 
make  them  habitable,  and  being  thus  prevented  by  disease  they  are  looking  forward 
to  a  winter  without  food,  clothes,  or  suitable  houses. 

Of  course  some  few  have  been  catching  fish,  and  they  will  catch  some  more  during 
the  winter,  but  this  will  be  totally  inadequate  to  support  them  and  their  families. 

Twenty-five  per  cent  has  been  the  average  of  deaths  at  Holy  Cross.  Ten  per  cent 
has  been  the  average  of  deaths  at  Xulato. 

The  needs  are  as  follows,  to  be  forwarded  as  soon  as  possible:  Food — Flour,  tea, 
lard,  sugar,  bacon,  milk  (for  infants),  rice,  pilot  bread.  Clothing — Drilling,  blankets. 
Shotgun  ammunition  for  breach  and  muzzle  loading  guns. 

As  to  distribution,  the  only  practical  way  it  seems  would  be  to  have  the  supplies 
sent  to  the  different  missions. 

1.  Ikogmut,  Russian  mission. 

2.  Holy  Cross  Mission,  Koserefski,  Catholic  mission.  Over  300  destitute  people, 
including  Shageluk  (partially)  and  Pimut. 

3.  Anvik,  Episcopalian  mission,  Rev.  J.  W.  Chapman.  About  200,  including  some 
of  Shageluk. 

4.  Nulato,  St.  Peter  Claver's.  Over  450  destitute  people,  including  villages  located 
70  miles  below  Nulato  up  to  70  miles  above  Nulato  and  some  Koyukuk  River  Indians. 

5.  Kokrine's  Station,  connected  with  Nulato  mission.  (No  report  yet  received 
from  this  place.)  About  220  Indians.  Some  supplies  could  be  sent  there  as  an 
annex  to  Nulato  if  necessary. 

6.  Tanana,  Episcopalian  mission. 

Aloys  A.  Ragaru,  S.  J. 

At  Big  Bend  is  a  village  of  65  people,  fully  50  of  whom  were  sick. 
There  were  16  cases  of  measles,  1  of  pneumonia,  and  the  rest  were 
either  convalescent  or  suffering  relapses.  One  medicine  they  knew, 
several  asking  for  it,  and  that  was  castor  oil.  These  people  suffer 
from  constipation  and  any  cathartic  medicine  is  welcome,  but  they  are 
especially  partial  to  castor  oil  and  will  drink  all  they  can  get  of  it. 

It  was  here  we  saw  a  man  and  a  girl  with  blood  smeared  over  their 
foreheads.     The  only  explanation  given  was  "because  sick." 

They  appeared  to  have  plenty  of  fish  at  this  village  and,  though  so 
many  were  sick,  they  seemed  in  a  more  prosperous  condition  than  at 
most  of  the  villages  on  the  river.  This  village,  for  a  strictly  native 
one,  was  the  cleanest  we  had  seen. 


270 

Not  far  above  Big  Bend  we  stopped  at  a  woodcutter's  camp,  where 
we  found  three  Xanana  Indians  sick  and  destitute.  One  little  girl  had 
just  broken  out  with  measles  and  an  old  man  had  influenza. 

At  both  Tanana  and  Rampart  there  are  military  posts,  and  the  sur- 
geons attached  to  the  two  commands  treated  such  of  the  natives  as 
needed  their  services,  so  we  did  not  make  an  inspection  of  the  native 
villages.  Considering  the  number  of  Indians  living  in  the  two  places, 
there  was  little  sickness  and  few  deaths.  In  fact,  the  neighborhood 
of  Nulato  seemed  to  be  about  the  limit  for  the  epidemic  that  had  so 
ravished  the  lower  river. 

At  Tanana  is  St.  James  mission,  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Living 
here  and  in  the  neighborhood  are  some  200  Indians.  Late  in  the  year 
we  received  from  Mr.  Selden,  attached  to  the  mission,  the  following: 
There  had  been,  to  December  1, 11  deaths— 2  consumption,  3  pneumonia, 
2  dysentery,  2  measles,  1  woman  in  childbirth,  1  child  frozen,  and,  as 
was  noted  elsewhere,  the  proportion  was  7  adults  to  4  children. 

At  Rampart  there  is  another  mission  of  the  Episcopal  Church — St. 
Andrews.  Here  there  are  some  100  Indians,  and  to  June  1.  1901, 
there  had  been  16  deaths,  including  3  white  men.  Few  were  sick  last 
fall,  most  of  the  deaths  occurring  early  this  spring. 

Opposite  the  mouth  of  Mike  Hess  Creek  is  the  Pioneer  Coal  Mine, 
and  here  we  found  a  number  of  women  and  children  in  camp  while  the 
men  were  away  hunting.  Six  were  sick — 2  with  influenza,  2  pulmo- 
nary tuberculosis,  1  pneumonia,  and  1  infant  suffering  from  starvation, 
the  mother  not  having  sufficient  milk  to  feed  it.  This  is  not  an  uncom- 
mon condition  among  these  people,  as  we  afterwards  found. 

At  Fort  Hamlin,  where  we  arrived  September  12,  we  saw  the  first 
white  person  with  measles  since  leaving  St.  Michael.  He  had  come 
from  some  place  down  the  river,  probably  Rampart,  some  two  weeks 
before,  and  was  then  cooking  at  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company's 
station.  Fortunately  there  were  no  natives  living  at  Fort  Hamlin 
then,  and  no  measles  appeared  in  this  section,  though  many  suffered 
from  severe  attacks  of  influenza. 

When  we  first  came  to  Dall  River  we  found  a  number  of  the  natives 
sick,  all  with  some  pulmonary  complication  following  influenza.  Up 
to  that  time  (September  13)  there  had  been  7  deaths  out  of  a  popula- 
tion of  60.  Later  in  the  year  there  were  more  deaths  due  to  other 
causes. 

We  arrived  at  Sixmile  on  September  26.  There  were  only  15 
people  there  then,  though  the  population  is  something  over  40. 
Nearly  all  of  these  15  were  sick,  3  women  being  seriously  so  with 
pneumonia.     There  had  been  3  deaths— 2  children  and  1  man. 

On  the  27th  of  September  we  came  into  Dall  River  and  tied  up  to 
the  bank,  when  all  hands  were  at  once  made  busy  getting  the  boat 


271 

read}T  for  the  eight  months'  winter  siege  to  come.  The  trip  up  the 
river  had  been  a  most  interesting  and  instructive  one.  We  had  visited 
20  villages  and  stations  with  a  total  population  of  925,  and  had  per- 
sonally attended  245  sick  people,  both  native  and  white.  Treating 
natives  medicinally  is  most  unsatisfactory  in  many  respects.  In  the 
first  place,  not  speaking  their  language,  it  is  hard  to  make  them 
understand  what  you  wish  to  convey.  In  reply  to  your  questions  the 
answer  would  be  almost  always,  "Me  sick  inside.'-  They  expect  to 
be  cured  with  the  first  dose  of  medicine  they  take,  and  if  the  medicine 
is  not  to  their  liking  the3r  will  refuse  to  take  it,  or  if  it  is  agreeable  to 
their  palate  they  will  empty  the  bottle  at  a  dose.  Great  care  must 
therefore  be  taken  not  to  give  them  any  drug  that  might  be  injurious 
in  large  doses.  But  the  greatest  difficulty  is  to  overcome  their  super- 
stitious belief  in  the  power  of  their  shamans,  or  medicine  men,  a 
superstition  which  still  exists,  notwithstanding  the  teachings  of  the 
missionaries.  It  was  decided  that,  instead  of  leaving  any  considerable 
amount  of  supplies  with  the  natives,  to  leave  such  food  and  medicines 
as  they  might  need  with  the  missionaries,  the  agents  at  the  several 
trading  posts,  and  with  others  equally  responsible.  In  this  way  we 
rendered  assistance  to  some  2,500  natives  residing  on  or  near  the 
Yukon  River,  and  we  were  assured  by  many  this  spring  that  if  we 
had  not  done  so  the  suffering  and  destitution  would  have  been  many 
times  greater  than  it  was. 

Fort  Shoemaker  is  on  the  Dall  River,  1  mile  above  its  confluence 
with  the  Yukon,  in  latitude  66°.01'  north  and  longitude  149°.14' 
west,  about  30  miles  south  of  the  arctic  circle.  The  winter  of 
1900-1901  was  one  of  average  severity  for  this  region,  the  lowest 
temperature  being  —65°  F.  in  January,  lasting  some  ten  days,  and 
—50°  F.  was  quite  frequent.  The  climate  is  not  as  severe  as  these 
temperatures  would  indicate,  for  there  is  very  little  wind  at  any  time 
and  none  at  all  when  the  temperature  is  very  low. 

As  soon  as  the  vessel  had  been  made  ready  for  the  winter  the  crew 
were  set  at  work  building  two  log  cabins.  The  first  was  the  ' '  club- 
house "  for  the  use  of  the  men,  where  they  could  spend  their  idle  time 
in  an}T  form  of  amusement  they  chose  and  make  as  much  noise  as  they 
pleased,  disturbing  no  one.  The  other  cabin  was  designated  the  ' '  gym- 
nasium." Here  were  placed  various  homemade  pieces  of  athletic 
apparatus,  and  until  the  wood  chopping  began  the  men  made  good  use 
of  this  place.  Then,  besides  the  wood  chopping  and  the  necessary 
daily  work  about  the  vessel,  a  regular  weekly  routine  of  drills  and 
inspections  served  to  maintain  the  necessary  discipline  on  board;  and 
it  can  be  said,  to  the  credit  of  all,  that  no  serious  breach  of  discipline 
or  disorderly  conduct  occurred  that  required  more  than  a  simple  rep- 
rimand to  correct.     To  this  constant  employment  is  due  in  a  great 


272 

measure  the  most  excellent  health  of  the  crew  throughout  the  winter. 
No  serious  cases  of  illness  occurred  among  them,  and  there  were  but 
few  accidents. 

The  quarters  on  the  Nunivak  assigned  to  the  crew  were  poorly  con- 
structed for  living  in  during  an  arctic  winter,  and  in  fact  the  whole 
boat  was  so  arranged  that  to  go  from  one  part  of  it  to  another  one  had 
to  go  out  of  doors.  The  crew's  quarters  were  in  the  after  end  of  the 
boat,  and  though  piped  and  furnished  with  radiators  the  steam  could 
not  be  driven  through  them.  The  radiators  in  the  wash  room,  bath- 
room, and  after  port  side  of  the  berth  deck  froze  and  had  to  be  cutout. 

The  radiator  in  the  dispensary  could  be  kept  but  moderately  warm, 
and  unless  it  was  drained  once  in  twelve  hours  would  freeze.  All  the 
medicines  except  the  solids  and  the  alcoholic  preparations  froze. 
Had  this  boat  wintered  at  any  part  of  the  river  where  the  wind  blows 
as  it  does  in  many  places  it  would  have  been  uninhabitable. 

The  clothing  furnished  by  the  Government  is  all  that  could  be 
desired  so  far  as  it  goes,  but  there  are  many  articles  of  wearing 
apparel  necessary  in  this  country  that  were  not  included  in  the  list. 
Should  a  revenue  cutter  be  kept  on  this  station  the  clothing  locker 
should  contain,  besides  the  usual  underclothing,  socks,  and  uniform 
trousers  and  shirts,  German  socks,  moccasins,  mittens,  parkas  made 
of  drilling,  and  caps  with  ear  flaps  and  nose  pieces.  To  compel  the 
crew  to  pay  Yukon  prices  for  these  necessaries  imposes  a  hardship 
they  can  ill  afford.  The  all-fur  caps  usually  sold  to  people  coming 
into  this  country  are  too  warm,  and  when  worn  will  heat  the  head  and 
often  cause  dizziness.  A  cloth  cap  made  after  the  pattern  of  those 
used  by  the  Army,  but  having  fur  only  over  the  forehead,  across  the 
occiput,  and  over  the  ears,  was  found  by  us  to  be  all  that  was  neces- 
sary, and  by  far  the  most  comfortable.  The  moccasins  and  mittens 
should  be  of  the  best  moose  skin,  the  mittens  to  be  lined  with  soft 
woolen  flannel.  The  parka  should  have  a  hood  fringed  with  either 
wolf  or  wolverine  fur.  For  those  living  near  the  coast  parkas  made 
of  reindeer  skin  and  "  muckluks"  or  native  water  boots  are  necessary. 

The  question  of  foods  and  the  serving  of  them  is  a  most  important 
one  to  those  living  in  the  interior  of  Alaska.  Undoubtedly  most  of 
the  dysentery  that  has  caused  so  many  deaths  and  compelled  so  man}- 
people  to  leave  the  country  is  due  to  improperly  cooked  food,  and  in 
some  cases  to  poorly  preserved  canned  goods.  It  is  a  notorious  fact 
that  some  of  the  firms  supplying  this  country  ship  their  oldest  and 
poorest  goods  when  filling  an  Alaska  order,  not  forgetting,  however, 
to  charge  the  highest  prices  therefor.  The  consignee  is  at  their  mere}7, 
for  he  must  have  the  goods  to  live  during  the  winter,  poor  as  they 
may  be.     He  can  but  pay  the  bill  and  try  and  do  better  next  time. 

The  rations  furnished  this  vessel,  though  better  than  those  supplied 
to  most  of  the  revenue  cutters,  do  not  contain  enough  meat,  especially 


273 

for  men  living  in  this  climate  and  performing  the  work  as  is  required 
of  this  crew.  Should  a  new  ration  list  be  made  it  should  contain  an 
extra  amount  of  flour,  sugar,  tea,  and  hard  bread,  with  which  the 
caterer  could  purchase  from  the  natives  fresh  moose  and  caribou  meat, 
to  be  issued  in  place  of  the  canned  and  salt  meats  at  stated  intervals; 
twice  a  week  would  be  sufficient.  The  ration  should  also  contain  more 
fresh  potatoes  and  onions  than  it  does.  Evaporated  potatoes  and 
onions  are  good  and  may  be  cooked  in  many  wa}^s  that  is  agreeable  to 
the  palate,  but  they  do  not  take  the  place  of  the  fresh  article  either  as 
a  food  or  as  an  antiscorbutic.  Potatoes,  onions,  and  cabbages,  pro- 
viding they  are  of  first  quality  and  in  good  condition  when  purchased, 
will  keep  all  winter.  Freezing  does  not  hurt  them  so  long  as  they  are 
kept  so,  but  they  must  be  cooked  as  soon  as  they  have  thawed. 

The  continuous  living  on  preserved  foods,  whether  salted  or  canned, 
brings  on  various  disorders  of  the  digestive  organs,  and,  too,  will 
cause  a  condition  resembling  a  mild  form  of  scurvy,  as  was  seen  on 
this  vessel  early  this  last  spring.  The  men  at  first  complained  of  con- 
stipation and  headaches.  Following  this  there  appeared  a  skin  erup- 
tion, red  blotches  over  the  trunk  and  limbs,  accompanied  in  most 
cases  with  diarrhea.  This  condition  was  so  general  that  it  was  deemed 
advisable  to  purchase  fresh  moose  meat  and  issue  it  as  an  extra  ration. 
One  living  in  a  country  where  fresh  foods  are  to  be  had  every  day  of 
the  week  can  not  appreciate  the  feelings  of  those  living  in  a  country 
where  such  things  are  not  to  be  had;  that  craving  for  green  stuffs, 
especially  in  the  spring.  Among  these  last  a  common  remark  is:  "If 
I  only  had  some  green  grass." 

As  has  been  stated,  the  crew  of  the  Nunivak  remained  in  most 
excellent  health  all  winter,  and  there  are  few  cases  from  the  dispen- 
sary report  worth  noting.  In  the  latter  part  of  November,  following 
the  first  real  cold  weather,  there  were  a  number  of  cases  of  sore 
throat,  the  throat  being  simply  inflamed  and  irritable,  and  due,  it 
would  seem,  to  inhaling  the  cold  air.  This  same  condition  of  the 
throat  was  noted  after  each  cold  spell  that  we  had,  and  was  not  con- 
fined to  the  white  people,  but  the  natives  complained  of  it  as  well. 
Several  times  during  the  winter  the  temperature  would  suddenly  rise, 
making  it  feel  quite  warm,  comparatively  speaking.  Following  each 
one  of  these  warm  spells  most  of  the  crew  would  suffer  from  colds  in 
the  head.  Catarrhal  conditions  of  the  nose  and  throat  became  worse 
during  the  winter,  and  one  or  two  cases  became  quite  aggravated. 
Frostbites  of  the  nose,  cheeks,  and  ears  were  common,  but  no  frostbites 
of  a  serious  nature  occurred  in  our  neighborhood.  One  of  the  most 
common  complaints,  however,  was  from  chapped  skin.  The  skin  of 
the  hands  and  face  would  become  hard  and  rough  and  then  crack, 
sometimes  causing  very  painful  sores.     A  common  complaint  among 


274 

those  traveling  on  the  trail  is  what  might  be  termed  "frosted  knee." 
In  such  cases  the  knee  joint,  from  want  of  proper  protection,  becomes 
chilled.  After  the  day's  run,  and  the  owner  has  retired,  the  knee 
often  causes  intense  pain,  and  the  next  day  it  is  stiff  and  very  sore. 
There  is  little  to  do  for  this  after  it  is  once  acquired  except  rest. 
The  proper  preventative  is  to  wear  fur  or  flannel  pads  over  the  knees 
while  traveling.  Snow-blindness  was  almost  unknown,  there  being 
but  one  case  coming  to  our  notice,  though  no  one  wore  smoked 
glasses  or  eye  shades.  There  was  but  a  very  short  time  in  the  spring 
that  the  glare  from  the  snow  was  at  all  irritating  to  the  eyes. 

The  first  signs  of  the  coming  spring  were  seen  early  in  April  in  the 
shape  of  green  moss  buds  under  the  snow,  but  it  was  not  until  May 
15  that  the  ice  in  Dall  River  broke  and  it  was  some  two  weeks  later 
that  the  Yukon  cleared.  The  trip  down  the  river  was  uneventful. 
We  stopped  at  the  more  important  villages,  but  most  of  the  natives 
were  away  preparing  to  catch  the  salmon  that  would  soon  come  up 
the  river.  At  Nulato  there  were  three  cases  of  whooping  cough  and 
as  we  proceeded  down  the  river  the  number  of  cases  became  greater. 
At  Anvik  nearly  all  of  the  mission  children  were  suffering  from  it. 
At  Koserefsky  was  seen  a  young  boy  whose  feet  had  been  frozen  the 
winter  previous,  necessitating  a  secondary  amputation  of  four  toes  on 
one  foot  and  three  on  the  other. 

It  was  impossible  to  get  any  data  regarding  the  death  rate  of  the 
previous  winter,  but  from  what  we  could  learn  it  must  have  been  very 
great.  The  conditions  of  the  natives  this  spring,  however,  were  very 
encouraging  and  there  was  every  prospect  of  a  good  and  profitable 
season  ahead  of  them. 

Respectfully,  yours,  James  T.  White, 

Surgeon,  Revenue- Cutter  Service. 

First  Lieut.  J.  C.  Cantwell,  R.  C.  S. , 

Commanding  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak. 


PART   VII 


APPENDIX. 


A.  TABLE  OF  DISTANCES  BETWEEN  SETTLEMENTS  ON  THE  YUKON 

RIVER. 

B.  SCHEDULE  OF  FREIGHT  AND  PASSENGER  RATES  ON  THE  YUKON 

RIVER. 

C.  LIST  OF   VESSELS    ENGAGED   IN   COMMERCE    ON   THE   YUKON 

RIVER. 

D.  COMPARATIVE   VOCABULARY   OF  THE  ESKIMO  AND  INGALIK 

TRIBES  INHABITING  THE  REGION. 

E.  COMPONENT  PARTS  OF  THE  RATION  ISSUED  TO  THE  CREW  OF 

THE  NUNIVAK  WHILE  ON  THE  STATION. 

F.  NATURAL  HISTORY: 

1.  LIST  OF  BIRDS. 

2.  LIST  OF  MAMMALIA. 

3.  LIST  OF  FISHES. 

4.  LIST  OF  PLANTS. 

5.  LIST  OF  FOSSILS. 

G.  METEOROLOGICAL  RECORD. 


275 


APPENDIX  A. 

Stations  and  distances  along  Yukon  River. 


St.  Michael 

Yukon  River,  Apoon  mouth 

Kotlik  (trading  post) 

Bill  Moor's 

Old  Hamilton 

New  Hamilton 

T'Click 

Andreafski  (N.   N.   Company's 

steamer  ways) 

Russian  Mission  (trading post).. 

Pimute 

Holy  Cross  Mission  (trading  post) 

Anvik 

Greyling 

Blackburn 

Coal  Mine  No.  1  (A.  C.  Co. ) 

Kaltag  ( United  States  telegraph 

post) 

Nulato  (United  States  telegraph 

trading  post) 

Pickerts  (Williams  coal  mine) .. 

Koyukuk  River 

Melozi 

Kokrine  Station  (trading  post)  . 

Unklakat  River 

Tozi  River 

St.  James  Mission 

Panana,  Weare   (Fort  Gibbon; 

N.  C.  Company's  store) 

Tanana  River 

Jackson  Creek 

Spicer  Creek 

Shetlin 

Rock  Island 

Bear  Creek  (Rampart  Rapids)  .. 

D  \v yer  Creek 

Sancho 

Wolf  Trap  Rock 

Quartz  and  Campbell  Creek 

Stephens 

Glacier 

Marshall 

Russian  Creek 

Rampart  City  (N.  C.  Company's 

store) 


Miles 

be- 
tween 

sta- 
tions. 


112 
38 
28 
47 
22 
35 
54 

54 

40 
12 

8 
67 
65 
80 
47 

4 


Miles 
from  St. 
Michael. 


180 
292 
330 
358 
405 
427 
462 
516 

570 

610 
622 
630 
697 

762 
842 


901 
904 
910 
913 
926 
941 
944 
945 
948 
952 
957 
960 
965 
976 
978 


Miles 

be-         Miles 
tween    from  St. 

sta-      Michael, 
tions. 


Minook  Creek ! 

Mike  Hess  Creek  (Tom  Drew 

coal  mine) ! 

Salt  Creek j 

Fort  Hamlin  (X.  C.  Company's 

store) 

Dall  River 

Rampart  House 

Bearer  Creek 

White  Eye  Camp ! 

Fort  Yukon  (Arctic  Circle) \ 

Seventeenmile  Island ! 

Halfway  Island 

Twelvemile  Bar 

Circle 

Coal  Creek j 

j  Charley  River i 

Charley  Creek 

Washington  Creek 

Fourth  of  July  Creek 1 

Ivy  City j 

Nation  City ; 

Montauk  Point 

Sheep  Creek 

i   Seventvmile  River ) 

Star  City J 

Seventvmile  Citv 

Eagle  (Fort  Egbert,  U.  S.  Army; 

N.  C.  Company's  store) 

Boundarv  line. 


NORTHWEST  TERRITORY. 

Rock  (Old  Man  and  Old  Woman) 
Clift  Creek  Coal  Mine  (N.  A.  T. 

andT.Co.) 

Coal  River    

Fort  Cudahy 

Fortymile    (N.   C.   Company's 

store)  

Fort  Reliance  (old  Hudson  Bay 

trading  post) 

Dawson  (N.  C.  Company's  store) 


47 
33 
12 
23 
33 
13 
60 
15 
12 
7 

24 

2 
12 

10  1 

10 


983 

1,008 
1,034 

1,072 
1,082 
1,088 
1,148 
1,195 
1,228 
1,240 
1,263 
1,296 
1,309 
1,369 
1,384 
1,396 
1,403 

1,427 

1,429 
1,441 
1,451 

1,461 

1,466 


1,526 

1,537 
1,543 
1,547 

1,548 

1,592 
1,601 


277 


278 

APPENDIX  B. 

Freight  and  passenger  tariffs  No.  2,  Northern  Navigation  Company,  Yukon  River  points 
between  St.  Michael  and  Dawson,  July  1,  1901. 

FREIGHT  SCHEDULE— UPSTREAM. 

[Rates  in  dollars  per  ton  of  2,000  pounds,  or  40  cubic  feet,  ship's  option.] 


o 
2 

9 

s 

SI 

1. 

I 

a 
< 

P 

s 

1 

P 

1 

P 

3 

t-t 

M 

3 

| 

5 

6 

a> 
P 

o 
o 

1 

p 
5Z5 

a 

p 
>. 

o 

M 

708 

P 
c3 

1 

t 

o 

= 

a 

a 

33 

ft 

1 

d 

s 

S3 
W 

o 

p 

1 

p 

i 

Si 

6 

oj 

I 
g. 

§ 

% 

03 

Distances  from  St. 
Michael  to  Daw- 
son   

90 

140 

217 

354 

489 

•184 

508 

WW 

684 

1.3(18 

784 

S7I 

949 

1,0241,224 

1,309 

1,499 

1,5491,601 

1       1 

I 

St.  Michael 

Kotlik 

17 

21 
9 

22 
10 

9 

30 
15 

13 

10 

31 

18 
16 

31 
20 

17 

35 

21 

18 

38|  43 

23   28 

21    25 

44       85 
30       71 

46 
82 

29 
26 

21 
18 

16 
16 

13 
9 
9 

51 

37 

34 
31 
25 

23 
21 
21 
is 
13 
11 
10 

51 

37 

31 
31 
25 
23 
21 
21 
18 
13 
11 
11 
9 

54 

38 

38 

63 

47 

40 

77 
60 

54 
51 
50 
48 
47 
45 
43 
38 
36 
34 
29 
28 
26 
17 

84 
66 

61 
58 
57 
54 
53 
62 
49 
44 
43 
41 
36 

85 
68 

62 
60 
59 
56 
54 
54 
51 
46 
44 
43 
38 

85 
68 

United  States  Sur- 
vey Camp 

28 

25 
19 
16 
16 

68 
66 
60 
57 
51 

64 

Andreafski 

13   15 
9     9 

161  18   23 
in!  19   17 

32       38 

64 

Russian  Mission  . . . 

32 
29 
28 
26 
24 

37 
34 
32 
32 

29 

59 

Koserefski 

9     9    10 

15 
18 

12 
10 

56 

Anvik 

9 

9 
9 

54 

Grevling 



14l      54 
11!      52 
9       48 

54 

Coal  Mine  No.  1 

51 

Nulato 

1       1 

19       24 

17       22 
17       21 
10       16 
9 

46 

Koyukuk 

1       '   " 

45 

44 

43 

38 

33       35 

32       33 
22       24 
13 

36 

Fort  Hamlin 

...|... 

13 

35 

Fort  Yukon 

26 

Circle 

i 

17 

Eagle 

13 

16 

Fortymile 

13 

1 

i 

Minimum  charge,  $10. 


PASSENGER  SCHEDULE— UPSTREAM. 
[Rates  in  dollars.] 


B 

g 

P 

1 

-3 

M 

O 

>> 

% 

■9 

a 

< 

.2 

p 
a 

a 

9 

M 

i 

1 

> 
< 

bib 

a 

V. 
8 
3 

s 

a 

a 

M 
a 
>. 
o 
M 

M 
o 

1 

< 

o 

93 

s 

1 

i 

in 

ft 

I 

d 

1 

o3 
ffl 

*s 
«-i 
O 

P 

P 

U 

1 

6 

oj 
1 

>> 

B 

I 

03 

ft 

Distances   from   St. 
Michael  to  Dawson 

M 

90 

217 

354 

1:59 

184 

508 

684 

708 

784 

804 

S74 

949 

1,024 

1,224 

1,309 

1,499 

1,549 

1,601 

St.  Michael 

0 
90 

10 

•20 
15 

30 
20 
16 

35 

30 
20 

10 

40 

86 
25 

15 
10 

40 
85 
25 

15 
10 
5 

55 

50 
40 
25 
25 
20 
15 

60 

55 

40 
25 
25 
25 
26 
5 

65 

60 
45 
30 
30 
30 
30 
10 
10 

70 
66 

50 
40 
35 
35 
35 
•20 

16 

10 

70 
66 

50 
10 

86 
86 
86 
20 

20 
15 
5 

75 
70 
55 
45 
40 
40 
40 
30 

26 

20 
10 
10 

80 
75 
60 
50 
45 
45 
45 
40 
35 
30 
20 
15 
10 

95 
90 
75 
70 
65 
60 
60 
55 
50 
45 
35 
30 
25 
20 

105 
100 
90 
80 
75 
70 
70 
65 
60 
55 
50 
45 
40 
35 
20 

120 
115 
105 
100 
90 
90 
90 
85 
80 
75 
70 
65 
60 
55 
40 
20 

125 
120 
110 
105 
100 
95 
95 
90 
85 
85 
80 
75 
70 
65 
50 
30 
10 

125 

Kotlik 

125 

Andreaofsky 

127 

137 
85 
45 
24 

176 
24 
76 
80 
10 
75 
75 

200 
85 

190 
50 

115 

Russian  Mission 

110 

Koserofsky 

105 

Anvik 

100 

Greyling 

100 

Nulato 

100 

Koyukuk 

95 

Novikaket 

95 

Fort  Adams 

85 

1 

80 

...... 

75 

Fort  Hamlin 

1 

70 

Fort  Yukon 

60 

40 

Eagle 

20 

Forty  Mile 

10 

1 

Second  class,  three-fourths  above  rates;  dogs,  one-fourth  above  rates;  excess  baggage,  5  cents  per 
pound. 
Each  passenger  allowed  150  pounds  baggage. 


279 

Freight  and  passenger  tariffs  No.  2,  Northern  Navigation  Company,  Yukon  River  points 
between  St.  Michael  and  Dawson,  July  1,  1901 — Continued. 

FREIGHT  SCHEDULE— DOWNSTREAM . 


[Rates  in 

dollars  per  ton  of  2.000  pounds, 

or  40  cubic  fe< 

;t,  ship's  option.] 

-_ 
o 
a 

s3 

- 

o 

3 

1 

12 

i 

6 

o 

o 

a 

u 

o 

SJ         S3 

05  JH 

a 

- 
- 
< 

o 

a> 
M 

S3 

M 
"> 

o 

M 
M 

>> 

z 

03 

i 

- 

a 

a 
m 

s 

> 

< 

M 

1 
I 

a 

o 

a 

M 

1 

8 

>> 

M 

i 

3 

i 

o 
W 

I 

•1 

Distances    from 
Dawson    to    St. 
Michael 

M 

52 

102 

.»,.> 

377 

577 

•  1 

652727 

29   30 

27   28 
24   25 
20   22 
12    14 
10   12 
...!  10 

737 

30 
28 
25 
22 
15 
12 
11 
10 

817  893 

1,493 

94 
91 
88 
85 
78 
74 
73 
72 
71 
68 
58 

917 

37 
34 

31 
28 
21 
17 
16 
15 
11 
11 
10 

1,093 

42 
39 
36 
33 
26 
22 
21 
20 
19 
18 
17 
10 

1,117 

43 
40 
37 
34 
27 
23 
22 
21 
20 
19 
18 
17 
10 

1, 162 

44 
41 
38 
35 
32 
28 
27 
26 
25 
24 
23 
22 
15 
10 

1,247 

46 
43 
40 
37 
34 
30 
29 
28 
27 
26 
25 
24 
20 
15 
10 

1,384 

45 
42 
39 
36 
32 
31 
30 
29 
28 
27 
26 
24 
20 
15 
10 

1,511 

54 
51 
48 
45 
42 
38 
37 
36 
35 
34 
33 
32 
28 
24 
19 
14 
9 

1,601 

34 
31 
28 
25 
18 
14 
11 
11 
10 

36 
33 
30 
27 
20 
16 
15 
14 
13 
10 

Dawson 

A 

50 
190 
86 

•JdU 
75 
75 
10 
80 
76 
•21 

176 

21 
4.") 
85 
187 

127 

. 

10 

15 
13 

10 

20 
18 
15 

10 

28 
26 
23 
18 
10 

70 

Forty  Mile 

67 
64 

61 

58 

55 

53 

i 

52 

51 

Novikaket 

50 

Kovokuk  

49 

48 

41 

40 

Koserofsky  .. 



1 

35 

30 

21 

Kotlik 

17 

Minimum  charge,  $10. 


PASSENGER  SCHEDULE— DOWNSTREAM. 
[Rates  in  dollars.] 


V- 

- 

i 

u 

o 

9 
>> 

I 

i 

i 

I 

> 

.2 

1 

- 
- 

■- 

o3 
| 

i 

i 

I 

- 

< 

0 

"S 

M 

O 

S3 

>. 

O 

0 

= 

61 

= 

- 

M 

'> 

< 

M 

OS 

2 
1 
0 

s 

0 

1 

a 

S3 
I 

a 

>> 

M 

O 

a 

O 

1 

■a 

V 

i 

CO 

Distances  from  Dawson 
to  St.  Michael 

M 

52 

102 

292 

377 

577  652 

727 

737 

817 

S93 

01'.) 

041 

1,117 

1,162 

1,247 

1,384 

1,511 

1,601 

0 

10     10 

...    10 

20'  25 

20   25 

30   35 

40   40!  45   50 

50 
•50 
45 
40 
35 
20 
15 
15 
15 
15 
5 

55 
55 

50 
45 

40 
25 

20 
15 
15 

15 

in 
10 

55 
55 
50 
45 
40 
25 
20 

60 

65 

70 
65 
60 
55 
50 
40 
35 

70       70 

Fortv  Mile 

52 
50 
190 

30   35   40   40!  45   50 
25   30   35   35j  40   45 
20,  25   30!  30   35   40 

60       60 
55      55 
50       50 
45       45 
30       35 
25       30 

65       70 

Eagle 

Circle 

15 

20 
10 

60       65 

55       60 

85 
200 
75 
75 
10 

....... 

15'  2f 

25   25 

10  10 

30   35 
15   20 

50       55 

10 

45       50 

. ..L-- 

10 

10 
5 

10 
10 
5 

18 
10 

10 

10 

40       45 

20       20|      25       30 
20'      20       25       30 

35 
35 
30 
25 
20 
15 
15 
10 
10 
10 

40 

Fort  Adams 

40 

80 
76 
24 

176 
24 
45 
85 

137 
90 

20       20 

20       25 

35 

15 
15 

5 

15 

15 

10 

.     10 

15       20 
15       20 
10       15 
10       15 

30 

Nulato 

25 

Greyling 

20 

20 

..  10 

10 

15 

10 

15 

15 

Kotlik 

..  10 

Second  class,  three-fourths  above  rates,  dogs,  one-fourth  above  rates;  excess  baggage,  5  cents  per 
pound. 
Each  passenger  allowed  150  pounds  baggage. 


280 


APPENDIX  C. 


List  of  vessels  engaged  in  Yukon  River  tnade,  including  harbor  boats  and  lighters  at  St. 
Michael,  Alaska,  during  the  season  of  1900. 


Name. 


Class. 


Official      Gross       Net 
No.         tons.       tons. 


ALASKA  COMMERCIAL  CO. 


Sarah 

Susie 

Hannah 

Louise 

Margaret 

Leah 

Alice 

Bella 

City  of  Paris 

Victoria 

Luella 

Saidie 

Florence  

Anna  E.  Fay 

Rosaliea 

St.  Michael,  No.  2... 
St.  Michael,  No.  3... 
St.  Michael,  No.  4 . . . 
St.  Michael,  No.  5 . . . 
St.  Michael,  No.  6  . . . 
St.  Michael,  No.  7 . . . 
St.  Michael,  No.  9 . . . 
St.  Michael,  No.  10 . . 
St.  Michael,  No.  11a. 
St.  Michael,  No.  12a. 
St.  Michael,  No.  13  b. 
St.  Michael,  No.  14a. 
St.  Michael,  No.  15a. 
St.  Michael,  No.  16a. 

Nomea 

Somoa  a 

Illinoisa 


Steamer 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

....do.. 

do.. 

....do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

Tug 

do.. 

Launch. 
Barge  .. 
....do.. 

do.., 

do... 

do.. 

do.. 

....do... 
....do.. 
....do.. 
....do.. 
....do.. 
....do.. 
....do.. 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 
....do... 


NORTH  AMERICAN  TRANSPORTATION  AND  TRADING  CO. 

T.  C.  Power 

Portus  B.  Weare 

Charles  H.  Hamilton 

John  Cudahy 

Klondyke 

Jno.  J.  Healey I do 

John  C.  Barr* I do 

WillH.Ison do 


Steamer 
....do.. 
....do.. 
....do.. 
....do.. 


Michigan 

New  York 

Jno.  H.Dwight 

Jno.  J.Mitchell 

Charles  L.  Hutchinson 

Erie 

Ontario 

Huron 


ALASKA   EXPLORATION  CO. 


Steamer , 
do.. 


Leon 

Arnold 

Linda do 

F.  K.  Gustin do 

Herman ( do 


Barge  . 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 


Mav  D 

C.  H.  Bradley 

Argonaut 

Meteor 

Cub 

Clara  Bellea 

Otter 

Lvnx 

Seal 

Bear 

Fox 

Mink 

Skunka 

Wrecking  barge  a. 
Garbage  barge  a. . . 
-Water  barge  a 


Tug_ 


»do 


....do.. 
....do.. 
....do.. 
Launch 
Barge  .. 

do.. 

....do.. 
....do.. 
....do.. 
....do.. 
....do.. 


116856 
115855 

96428 
141572 

92890 
141556 
107253 
3759 
127219 
161820 
141540 
116831 
121068 
107339 

"'57984' 
57985 
57986 
57998 
58051 
58094 
58053 
58054 


1,211 

1,211 

1,211 

717 

520 

477 

400 

370 

300 

55 

52 

328 

90 


228 
228 
479 
350 
240 
240 
366 
240 


145790 
150646 
127290 
77334 
161114 
77238 
107853 
81758 
51303 
67380 
46537 
46538 
34331 
36957 
53314 
42857 


141533 
107353 
141561 
121071 


92853 
127254 
107403 

93031 
127373 


532S9 
48626 

57959 
31593 
37573 
51287 


819 
400 
595 
819 
406 
450 
546 
983 
450 
450 
375 
80 
80 


692 
692 

718 
456 

66 
29 
15 
68 
19 
4 


539 
539 
539 


a  Not  documented. 


&  Garbage;  not  documented. 


281 


List  of  vessels  engaged  in  Yukon  River  trade,  etc. — Continued. 


Name. 

Class. 

Official 
No. 

Gross 
tons. 

Net 
tons. 

EMPIRE  TRANSPORTATION  COMPANY. 

St.  Michael 

Seattle 

Steamer 

do 

116816 
116817 
145773 
116811 
107458 
136674 

718 
718 
718 
718 
60 
115 
5 

409 

409 

do 

409 

.....do 

409 

Tug 

19 

do 

65 

Ohio  a 

do 

Barge 

51286 
35541 
59482 
65058 
31577 
31578 

111177 
116854 
157509 
92865 

383 
383 
277 
277 
363 
160 

523 

548 

718 

396 

2 

355 

do 

355 

do.... 

249 

do 

248 

No.  3 

do 

334 

No.  4 

do.... 

160 

SEATTLE-YUKON  TRANSPORTATION  COMPANY. 

Steamer 

do 

336 

326 

D.  R.  Campbell 

do 

409 

do 

219 

Josephene  a 

Launch  

Seattle  No.  1 

do 

116853 
57992 

445 
600 

445 

Seattle  No.  4 

do 

600 

INDEPENDENT. 

Casca 

British  steamer. 
do 

363 

Mono 

&200 

do 

250 

J.  P.  Light 

do.... 

409 

do 

&350 

Tvrrell 

do 

408 

Louise 

552 

Jean 

do 

621 

Margaret 

do 

555 

British  steamer. 

Steamer 

.do... 

267 

141529 
107411 
116863 
150778 
92896 
92855 
111180 

506 
74 
69 
718 
134 
463 
718 

396 

74 

St.  Joseph 

do 

69 

...do... 

409 

...do... 

69 

do 

269 

Robert  Kerr 

do 

409 

«  N"  ot  documented.  b  Estimated. 

APPENDIX  D. 

Comparative  vocabulary  of  Ingalik  and  Eskimo  tribes. 


Stock Ingalik. 


.  Eskimo. 


Family 

Dall  River 

Tanana 

Nulato 

..  Egomutes. 

One 

Chaylikav ' j 

Atowchuk. 

Two 

Natuka ! 

Three 

Torka 1 ! 

Four 

Dunchav 

Five 

Chets'l  tenalo ' 

Six 

Nik'l  a  torka 

Aguinuleet. 

Eight 

Nik'l  a  dunchay 1... 

Pinganulit. 
Kulinolit. 

Nine 

Nine 

Ten 

Yukht 

Nohatukuna 

Tent 

Howlnevah 

Klahtait 

Bed 

Chair 

Stulischt 

Window 

Hordor  ne  datorny 

Tarak. 

Door 

Hordor  ta  tornv 

Kotorneet  honah... 

Annuk. 

Stove 

Belada 

Lamp 

'Nkass  bevutalquina 

Table 

Butklay  kwachetsl 

282 


Comparative  vocabulary  of  Ingalik  and  Eskimo  tribes — Continued. 


Stock 

Ingalik 

Eskimo. 

Family 

Dall  River 

1 Tanana 

.| Nulato 

..  Egomutes. 

Knite 

Syah 

Jessa  quilsch 

i  Klaka  dohna 

-1  Klaka  dohna 

Chiwik. 

Fork 

Spoon  

Skol  t 

Plate  

Klosh  lostah L 

Cup 

Chelushcha 



Bucket 

Noloi 

Kettle 

Tsynicht 

(See  Bucket) 

Tenadakuna  

G'hun 

Box 

Fire 

Kwotalkwun 

Smoke 

Klut 

Hkhlit 

Apsik. 

Firewood 

Stick 

j  stits . 

Matches 

Chuwishcha 

1 

Candle 

Candle 

Coal 

Lo  ohna  latkwina 

j 

Coal  oil 

Gas 

Key 

Cheluth 

Ax 

Mk'le  klala 

Mukle  kiaia 

Kolkabuk. 

Hammer 

Bacha  kwotalkun 

Saw 

B.  etahdolt 

Auger 

B.  hotitoil 

1 

Gimlet 

B.  holwuilt 

Plane 

Rule 

Stellus 

Square 

B.  hok  dahlisch 

File 

Hukwo 

Grindstone 

Nagl  Butkala 

Nail 

Jets  sukah 

Window  glass . 

Stak  lo 

Day 

H'lut . 

!  K'lut 

Okhtuk 

Night 

Klah  tah 

K'ltahah 

Kohtohna 

Kleetakhle 

Yesterday 

Kwotorna 

Ikpuksuk. 

Day  before 

Kwotorn  Kwotorna 

Kuletohnakuh 

To-morrow 

Kwotor  'ntah 

Day  after 

Kwotorn  ho  kwo  torn'ta. 

By  and  by 

Klah  klah 

Afternoon 

Syneetsuk 

Morning 

Mendorna .   

! 

Forenoon 

Yolkwoltah 

This  year 

Ohutlan 

Last  year 

Or  kwah 

Oghuh  . 

Towunga. 

Next  year 

Or  oo  tah 

Oghutlah... 

Now 

Kwah  tait 

Winter 

Nakhalut 

Sanuh 

Ookhl'kohn 

T'un 

Hwutaghuh 

Summer 

Sant 

Rain 

Chuhn  

Snow 

Satl 

Ice 

Cluh 

T  'un 

Tu 

Water 

Tu 

Tu. 

Muk 

Cold 

Ningluktuk. 

Warm 

Atzun  kulla 

Fog 

Orkh 

Clouds 

Ee  vo  kwuilt 

Yoh  . . 

Thunder 

Nutl'tuna 

Lightning 

K wuhn 

Aurora 

Yuro  kwohlt 

Yo  ikokhte  tan 

Igoghi  uk. 
Aghi  at. 
Okokhtuk 

Star 

Kluhn 

Sun 

Saw 

Moon 

Tukhtun 

Aghi  aluk. 

River 

Kakhat 

Lake 

Wuhn 

Sea 

White  man 

Gessuk 

Indian 

Nunkwat  tenah 

Innuyet. 

Man 

Tenah 

Woman 

Salta 

Boy 

Sakyah 

Tanigowiluk. 

Girl 

Salta 

Baby 

Father 

Aytah * 

Tuhkalah  . . 

Tuhkalah 

Mother 

A vnah 

Ahkuk 

Brother 

Suhchitlah 

Kingukshuk. 
Anligut  kuh. 

Sister 

Sutatsah 

Statah 

Aunt 

Ee  tabuhtatsah 

Uncle 

Sel  ah 

Head 

Tenah  klish 

Tenah  likh ... 

Hair 

T.  Kluwah 

T.  lughuh 

Forehead 

T.  takaddah 

T.  kaduh .  . 

Nose 

T.  sisch . . . 

Siket  chuk 

Mouth 

T.  lohlt 

Tenahloht 

T.  loht 

Eye 

Eekhka. 

Lips 

T.  tabana 

Kiinkah. 

283 


Comparative  vocabulary  of  Ingalik  and  Eskimo  tribes — Continued. 


Stock 

Ingalik 

Eskimo. 

Family 

Dall  River 

Tanana 

Nulato 

..  Egomutes. 

Teeth 

T.  wuh , 

T.  klulah 

T.  'tsegah 

T.  vatah 

T.  kwohlt 

T.  laghah        

T.  woh 

T.  1 ""nuh  '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. '. 

T.  lottah 

Hudinka. 

Tongue '. 

Ear 

T.  lula 

Ooluka. 

T.  serah 

Cheeudik. 

Chin 

T.  kukhtle 

Wee  akuk. 

T  jetlah                                             1 

T.  kwoinah 

T.but 

T.  konah 

T.  t  Slenah 

T.  konah 

Takhlik. 

Chest  (the).... 

T.  mit 

Back 

P'koke. 

T.  lenah 

T.  tle'nuh 

T.  kuh 

T.na 

Erukha. 

Foot 

T.  koh  

T.  kalsaylah 

T.kuh 

Toe 

T.  kalwugha 

T.  kah 

Heel 

T.  kaltolchit.. 

Hand 

T.  aloh  . 

Ikunka. 

T.  lohtsalah 

T.ilotlukah 

Eyelash 

Eyebrow 

T  notuchlah 

Kununka  va- 

T.  sutah  . 

T.  all'tohuga 

nuk. 

T  lochek 

T.  kutle 

Kungeluk. 

Elbow 

T.  suts 

T.  sus 

T.  luka 

T.  sus 

T.  kwoht 

T.  kut 

Ribs 

Cheek 

T.  nakluh 

Cap. 

Klakataluohna 

Natchuk. 

Coat 

Atkuk. 

Kukhlik. 

Shirt 

Sul  chah 

Alokhtigho 

Koleruk. 

Kahtsult 

Mittens 

Jets 

f Tenan  kutchin 

jArektwik. 
Azigak. 

Toziswintaga 

Vest 

Sutah 

'Tsutah 

'Tzudah 

Oolik. 

Pin 

Suss 

Yukuki 

Takokuk. 

Tenekah  

Kuhkowuna  

Koholkoi 

Noyuh 

Suhkuh  

Takinya 

Melazin 

Nilitsikh 

Wolf. . 

Kigalunuk. 

Fox 

Nakitlah 

Kohulkoi 

Kah  kah 

Sucha  (1)  .. 

Kagu  ishok. 
Magmuktic. 

Mink . 

Otter  . 

Nitsikhtl 

T'zun 

Rabbit 

Koh 

Koh.... 

Nuohneegah 

Kuvuthluk. 

Mutsikh 

Mitzikh 

Klikh'k 

Anoyah 

Klikh'k 

Tuntuk. 

Dog. . . 

Kitmuk. 

Tokak 

Totkahk 

Khak 

8       

Tahkiuk  puk. 

White-fish 

Tutsunah 

Nintala 

Telkumah 

Toltova 

Tutsunah 

Nintala , 

Telkumah 

Toltoya 

Ting'um  yuk. 
Ooksuktuk. 

Duck 

Ptarmigan 

Takho 

Okuziguk. 

Toltova 

Mosquito 

Money 

Kleh 

Klih 

Muhko  khi. 

Tencha 

Kho 

Koh 

Medoya 

Koh 

Khot. 

Ohsh 

Osh..'. 

Tun'g'yuk. 
Onguk" 

'Nchoh 

Nutsoghur 

Kitvoza 

M'kulla 

N'koh 

Small 

'Ntsutla 

None 

Kallah 

M'kulla 

Peetuk. 

Plenty 

Bokhulan 

T'sahluh 

Neeloht 

Yaksikhtuk. 

Likhkuta 

Ooguksi  khtuk. 

Tree 

Naput. 

Laugh  (to) 

/(Coward) 

Cry  (to) 

\Atsik 

Honalikah 

Nelukut 

Okhtle'seh 

Sorry  (to  be)  .. 

Frightened 

Sew  (to) 

Sleep 

Kuluh 

Kanukuk. 

Alingu 

5661 

03         37 

284 


Comparative  vocabulary  of  Ingalik  and  Eskimo  tribes — Continued. 


Stock 

Ingalik 

Eskimo. 

Family 

Dall  River 

Tanana 

Nulato 

..  Egomutes. 

Sick  or  to  be  in 
pain. 

Strong 

Weak 

Abah 

N'utl 

Amahlan 

Amah 

N'kkl...! 

Ohnikhtuk. 
T'huk. 

N'utl  kallav 

Good 

Nazun 

'Tzoinklakah 

Neh 

See 

j  Nazun 

Nazun 

Bad 

Tazokunioza 

Tzutklakahulan 

Ikhlwit. 

Me 

Sih 

Sih 

Flour 

Klatz 

Butter 

Mastlah 

Tea 

Chia 

Tobacco  

Where 

Takwina 

Hoti 

Tabah 

Takuna 

Hoti 

Taghwuk. 

Who 

What  say 

What  for 

Totenni 

Jennvun  

Tohtenni ,... 

Oh  ho 

....    Ah 

Hoh 

N'tyahoh 

No 

Wuh  lah 

NutlokaL. 

Perhaps 

Same  (the) 

Wilhay 

Klaw  ut  zun 

Ohni 

Leetoh 

Anay 

Bassay 

So  oht 

'Rulhay 

Kuvthluku  kantah . 

Ohni 

....    Teetoh 

;  Anee 

'  Suwatsuh  tus  sin- 
tun. 
i  So  oht 

'Rulhay 

Ohni 

Sit  down 

Seetoh 

Go  awav 

Anee 

Ayee. 

Thank  you 

Marsee 

So  oht 

Speseeba. 
Nuhlikuh. 

My  girl 

So  chahah i 

My  boy 

My  sweetheart 

i 

Conversational  phrases  in  the  dialect  of  the  Dall  River  Indians. 

Are  you  hungry?    Ma  amkat? 

I  will  give  you  something.    'Nklaw  je  tekl'  chekl'. 

Are  you  sick?    Hokleet  abah  in  lanni? 

Wrhere  is  the  pain?    Antanay  abah  in  Ian  ? 

I  want  to  see  you.    'Nklansik  aht. 

Come  to  my  house.    Ohni  sek  leetoh. 

Come  again.    Chukwotk  wotin  neh  dohsh. 

It  will  be  warm  by  and  by.    Klak  kwi  tinohl  chin. 

Do  you  like  me?    See  kat  dah  intah  hay? 

I  like  you.    Nuh  kat'stah. 

I  think  so.    Kuhn'  Tah. 

How  many  days?    Tohkwena  nut  at  enzin? 

How  much?    'Ntahts  ah  kukah? 

What  have  you  got?    Jenay  aytai? 

What  do  you  want?    Jenay  kat  aintah? 

Let  me  see.    Nohtl'anay. 

Do  you  understand?    Huitl'  entenay? 

Hurry  up.    'Ntuhwuh. 

Take  off  your  hat.    Nohtsuk  tintohsh. 

Take  off  your  coat.    Nochay  lilyah. 

Sit  in  the  other  room.    Yu  chut  an  yucht  leetoh. 

Come  back.    Sonen  neh  doscn. 

I  am  going  to  my  house.    Kwotan  notez  dohlt. 

Are  you  afraid?    Nayn  le  chetay? 

Give  me  your  hand.    'Nlo  nehtah. 

Give  (it)  to  me.    'Ntah. 

That  is  nothing.     (Of  no  consequence.)    Sy  lah. 

That  is  not  true.    Kwuhnzait. 

Take  it.    Inl'chuyit. 


285 

APPENDIX  E. 

Special  ration  issued  to  the  crew  of  the  Xunivak. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  component  parts  of  5,082  rations  furnished  for  the 
subsistence  of  the  crew  of  the  Xunivak  while  on  the  Yukon  River  station  for  the 
year  ending  June  30,  1901.  In  addition  to  the  articles  enumerated,  fresh  moose 
meat  and  fresh  fish  were  issued  to  the  men  from  time  to  time,  when  these  articles 
could  be  obtained,  in  lieu  of  the  salt  portion  of  the  ration. 


Salt  beef pounds..  1,050 

Salt  pork do 784 

Salt  fish do 750 

Roast  mutton,  canned do 544 

Corned  beef,  canned do 788 

Roast  beef,  canned do 704 

Sausage,  canned do 544 

Ham do 615 

Bacon do 550 

Flour do. ...  4, 350 

Apples,  evaporated do 450 

Peaches,  evaporated do 450 

Cranberries,  canned do 450 

Raisins do 175 

Beans do 650 

Peas,  split do 150 

Soups,  canned do 500 

Potatoes,  evaporated do 260 

Potatoes,  fresh do 4, 480 

Tomatoes,  canned do 1, 150 

Sauerkraut do 700 


Biscuit,  ship's pounds. .  500 

Rice do 450 

Rolled  oats do 350 

Corn  meal do 375 

Sugar,  granulated do 1, 400 

Coffee do 275 

Tea do. ...  40 

Cocoa do 30 

Butter do 650 

Condensed  milk do 400 

Cheese do 250 

Lard do...  275 

Baking  powder do 65 

Salt do....  100 

Pepper do 10 

Mustard do 20 

Pickles do....  350 

Vinegar gallons. .  20 

Molasses do 40 

Onions,  fresh pounds. .  600 

Tobacco .do 250 


Note. — All  perishable  articles,  such  as  biscuits,  cereals,  butter,  cheese,  etc., 
were  packed  in  hermetically  sealed  cans  of  convenient  size  for  use.  The  ham  and 
bacon  were  packed  in  salt;  the  sauerkraut  and  pickles  were  in  wood  containers  and 
kept  in  warm  storage  during  the  winter.  The  rest  of  the  supplies,  including  the 
fresh  potatoes,  were  allowed  to  freeze,  and  were  thawed  out  as  required. 


APPENDIX  F. 

BIRDS  OF  THE  YUKON  RIVER. 

podicipid.e  (Grebes). 

1.  Colymbus  holboellii Holboell's  Grebe. 

2.  Colymbus  auritus Horned  Grebe. 

gaviid.e  (Loons). 

3.  Gavia  imber Loon. 

4.  Gavia  adamsii Yellow-billed  Loon. 

5.  Gavia  lumme Red-throated  Loon. 

LARID.E    (Gulls). 

6.  Stercorarius  pomarinus Pomarine  Jaeger. 

7.  Larus  glaucus Glaucous  Gull. 

8.  Larus  glaucescens Glaucous- winged  Gull. 

9.  Larus  Philadelphia Bonaparte's  Gull. 

10.  Sterna  paradissea Arctic  Tern. 

axatid^e  (Ducks,  geese,  and  swans). 

11.  Merganser  serrator Red-breasted  Merganser. 

12.  Anas  boschas Mallard. 

13.  Mareca  Americana Baldpate. 


286 

14.  Nettion  carolinensis Green- winged  Teal. 

15.  Querquedula  discors Blue-winged  Teal. 

16.  Dafila  acuta Pintail. 

17.  Clangula  clangula Golden-eye. 

18.  Charitonetta  albeola Bnffle-head. 

19.  Harelda  hyemalis Old  Squaw. 

20.  Histrionicus  histrionicus Harlequin  Duck. 

21.  Arctometta  fischeri Spectacled  Eider. 

22.  Chen  hyperborea  (?) White  Brant. 

23.  Anser  albif rons White-fronted  Goose. 

24.  Branta  canadensis Canada  Goose. 

25.  Branta  nigricans Black  Brant. 

26.  Philacte  canagica Emperor  Goose. 

27.  Olor  columbianus Whistling  Swan. 

gritid^:  (Cranes). 

28.  Grus  mexicana  (?) Sandhill  Crane. 

29.  Grus  canadensis Little  Brown  Crane. 

phalaropodid.e  (Phalaropes). 

30.  Crymophilus  fulicarius Red  Phalarope. 

31.  Phalaropus  lobatus Northern  Phalarope. 

scolopacid^e  (Snipe). 

32.  Gallinago  delicata Wilsons  Snipe. 

33.  Macrorhamphus  scolopaceus Long-billed  Dowitcher. 

34.  Tringa  canutus Knot. 

35.  Tringa  maculata Pectora  Sanpiper. 

36.  Tringa  minutilla Least  Sandpiper. 

37.  Limosa  hseraastica Budsonian  Godwit. 

38.  Totanus  fiavipes Yellow-legs. 

39.  Helodromas  solitarius Solitary  Sandpiper. 

40.  Actitis  macularia Spotted  Sandpiper. 

41.  Numenius  hudsonicus Hudsonian  Curlew. 

CHARADRIIDJE  (Plovers). 

42.  Squatarola  squatarola Black-bellied  Plover. 

43.  Charadrius  dominicus Golden  Plover. 

44.  Aegialitis  semipalmata Semipalmated  Plover. 

aphrizid.e  (Surf  birds  and  turnstones) . 

45.  Arenaria  interpres Turnstone. 

tetraonid^e  (Grouse,  partridges,  etc.). 

46.  Canachites  canadensis Canada  Partridge. 

47.  Bonasa  umbellus Ruffed  Grouse. 

48.  Lagopus  lagopus Willow  Ptarmigan. 

49.  Pedioecetes  phasianellus Sharp-tailed  Grouse. 

FALCONID.E  (Hawks,  etc.). 

50.  Circus  hudsonsius Marsh  Hawk. 

51.  Accipiter  atricapillus Goshawk. 

52.  Falco  rusticolus Gyrfalcon. 

53.  Falco  columbarus Pigeon  Hawk. 


287 

buboxid.e  (Horned  owls,  etc.). 

54.  Asio  accipitrinus Short-eared  Owl. 

55.  Scotiaptex  cinerea Great  Gray  Owl. 

56.  Xyctea  nyctea Snowy  Owl. 

57.  Surnia  ulula Hawk  Owl. 

alcedixid.£  ( Kingfishers) . 

58.  Ceryle  alcyon Belted  Kingfisher. 

picid.e  ( Woodpeckers) . 

59.  Dryobates  pubescens Downy  Woodpecker. 

60.  Picoides  americanus American  three-toed  Woodpecker. 

61 .  Colaptes  auratus Flicker. 

TYRAXxiD.fi  (Tyrant  flycatchers). 

62.  Contopus  borealis Olive-side  Flycatcher. 

coRViD.fi  (Crows,  jays,  magpies,  etc. ) . 

63.  Perisoreus  canadensis Canada  Jay. 

64.  Corvus  corax Raven. 

icterid.e  (Blackbirds,  orioles,  etc.). 

65.  Scolecophagus  carol  inus Rusty  Blackbird. 

FRixGiLLiD.fi  (Finches,  sparrows,  etc.). 

66.  Pinicola  enucleator Pine  Grosbeak. 

67.  Acanthus  hornemannii Hornemann's  Redpoll. 

68.  Acanthus  linaria Redpoll. 

69.  Passerina  nivalis Snowflake. 

70.  Calcarius  laponicus Lapland  Longspur. 

71.  Ammodramus  sandwichensis Sandwich  Sparrow. 

72.  Zonotrichia  leucophrys White-crowned  Sparrow. 

73.  Zonotrichia  coronata Golden-crowned  Sparrow. 

74.  Spizella  monticola Tree  Sparrow. 

75.  Passerella  iliaca Fox  Sparrow. 

76.  Junco  hyemalis Slate-colored  Sparrow. 

HIRUNDIXID.fi  (Swallows). 

77.  Petroclelidon  lunifrons Cliff  Swallow. 

78.  Hirunde  erythrogaster Barn  Swallow. 

79.  Tachycineta  bicolor Tree  Swallow. 

80.  Tachycineta  thalassina Violet-green  Swallow. 

81.  Clivicola  riparia Bank  Swallow. 

ampelid.e  (Waxwings,  etc.). 

82.  Ampelis  garrulus Bohemian  Wax  wing. 

laxiid.e  (Shrikes). 

83.  Lanius  borealis Northern  Shrike. 


288 

mniotiltidje  ( Wood  Warblers). 

84.  Helminthophila  celata Orange-crowned  Warbler. 

85.  Dendroica  sestiva Yellow  Warbler. 

86.  Dendroica  coronata Myrtle  Warbler. 

87.  Dendroica  striata Black-polled  Warbler. 

88.  Seiurus  noveboracensis Water  Thrush. 

89.  Wilsonia  pusilla Wilson's  Warbler. 

motacillid^:  (Wagtails). 

90.  Anthus  pensilvanicus American  Pipit. 

parid^:  (Nuthatches  and  Tits). 

91.  Parus  cinctus Siberian  Chickadee. 

92.  Parus  hudsonicus Hudsonian  Chickadee. 

turdid.e  (Thrushes,  Solitaires,  Stonechats). 

93.  Hylocichla  aliciee The  Gray-cheeked  Thrush. 

94.  Hylocichla  ustulata Russet-backed  Thrush. 

95.  Merula  migratoria American  Robin. 

96.  Hesporocichla  nsevia Varied  Thrush. 

List  of  mammalia  of  the  Yukon  River  region. 

CAKXIVORA. 
FELID.E. 

Felis  canadensis Canada  Lynx. 

CAXAD.E. 

Canis  familiaris  var.  borealis Eskimo  Dog. 

C.  lupus Gray  Wolf. 

C.  lupus  var.  occidentalis Timber  Wolf. 

Vulpes  fulvus Red  Fox. 

V.  fulvus  var.  decussatus Cross  Fox. 

V.  fulvus  var.  argentatus Silver-gray  Fox. 

V.  lagopus Arctic  Fox. 

MUSTELIDiE 

Mustela  americana Marten. 

Putorius  vison Mink. 

P.  pusillus Least  Weasel. 

P.  erminea Ermine. 

Gulo  luscus Wolverine. 

Lutra  canadensis Otter. 

URSID.E. 

Ursus  Richardsonii Barren  Ground  Bear. 

XJ.  americana Black  Bear. 

U.  americana  var.  (?)    White-faced  Black  Bear 

RODENTIA. 
SCIURIDiE. 

Seiurus  hudsonicus Red  Squirrel. 

S.  niger Black  Squirrel. 


289 

Castor  fiber Beaver. 

Arctomys  pruinosus Marmot. 

Fiber  zibethicus Muskrat. 

MURID.E. 

Hesperomys  leucopus White-footed  Mouse. 

Arvicola  gapperi Red-backed  Mouse. 

A.  rubricatus Western  field  Mouse. 

Myodes  hudsonicus Hudson's  Lemming. 

HYSTRICID^E. 

Erithzon  dorsatus  epixanthus Porcupine. 

LEPORID,E. 

Lepus  timidus Arctic  Hare. 

L.  Campestris Polar  Rabbit. 

UNGULATA. 

cervid^:. 

Alces  machlis Moose. 

Rangifer  tarandus  groenlandicus Reindeer 

CAVICORNIA. 

Ovis  montana Mountain  Sheep. 

INSECTIVORA. 
SORICIDiE. 

Sorex  pachypus WThite-sided  Shrew. 

S.  Cooperi Tiny  Shrew. 

List  of  fishes  of  the  Yukon  River. 

SALMONIDiE. 

Oncorhynchus  tschawytscha King  Salmon. 

0.  kisutch Silver  Salmon. 

O.  gorbuscha Humpback  Salmon. 

O.  nerka Blue-back  Salmon. 

0.  keta Dog  Salmon. 

Coregonus  quadrilateralis Round  White-fish. 

C.  Nelsonii Humpbacked  White-fish. 

C.  kennicotti Broad  White-fish. 

Argyrosomus  pusillus Small  White-fish. 

Salvelinus  malma Red-spotted  Trout. 

Thymallus  signifer American  Grayling. 

ESOCID^E. 

Esox  lucius «. Pike. 

LOTA. 

Lota  maculosa ,... Burbot  or  "Losh." 


290 

List  of  plants. 

[Note.— The  following  plants  were  collected  by  the  author,  and  have  been  identified  by  Miss  Alice 
Eastwood,  Curator  of  Botany  in  the  California  Academy  of  Science.  Owing  to  our  absence  from 
the  river  region  during  the  months  of  July  and  August  of  each  year,  the  list  of  indigenous  plants 
is  only  partially  complete.  1 

Phegopteris  Dryopteris,  Fee Saxifraga  Hirculus,  L. 

Sitamon  jubatum,  J.  G.  Smith Poa  pratensis,  L. 

Equisetum  pratense,  Ehrh Potentilla. 

Erigeron Potentilla  anserina,  L. 

Solidago Papaver  alpinum,  L. 

Geum  triflorum,  Pursh Echinospernum  Redowskii,  Lehm. 

Sanguisorba Asphidium  fragrans,  Swartz. 

Beckmania  crucaeformis,  Hort Gentiana  propinqua,  Rich. 

Chrysanthemum  bipinnatum,  L Lupinus. 

Spiranthes Parnassia  palustris,  L. 

Bupleurum Dracocephalum  parviflorum,  Nutt. 

Galium Potentilla  f ruticosa,  L. 

Galium  boreale,  L Achillea  millefolium,  L. 

Epilobium  spicatum,  Lam Mertensia  paniculata,  Don. 

Aconitum  delphinifolium,  D.  C Hedysarum  auriculatum,  Eastwood. 

Iris  setosa,  Pall Arnica. 

Carex  mertinsii,  Prese Zygadenus  elegans,  Pursh. 

Poa  arctica,  R.  Br Hedysarum  Mackensii,  Rich. 

Juncus  stygius,  L Arnica  alpina,  Olin. 

Rubus  arcticus,  L Aster. 

Nasturtium  palustre,  L Empetrum  nigrum. 

Myosotis  Palustic,  Hoff. 

List  of  fossils. 

PROBOSCIDEA. 
ELEPHANTID.E. 

Elephas  primigenius Mammoth. 

Mastodon  giganteus Mastodon. 

Note. — Some  confusion  seems  to  exist  among  naturalists  as  to  the  exact  differen- 
tiation between  the  two  species  of  Elephantidse  above  noted,  but  a  comparison  of  the 
fossil  remains  of  the  two  animals  which  are  common  throughout  Alaska  would  seem 
to  prove  that  both  species  were  at  one  time  inhabitants  of  the  region. 

UNGULATA. 
CAVICORNIA. 

Bos  crassicornus Ox. 

Note. — The  fossil  remains  of  several  species  of  Cavicornia  have  been  reported  as 
having  been  discovered  in  various  parts  of  Alaska.  The  skull  and  horns  of  the 
specimen  above  noted  were  discovered  in  one  of  the  placer  mining  claims  on  Little 
Minook  Creek  during  the  winter  of  1900  at  a  depth  of  45  feet  below  the  surface,  and 
when  examined  by  the  author  was  in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation.  There  is 
little  doubt  as  to  its  proper  identification. 


291 


MOLLUSC  A. 

1.  Trigonia  leana.  5.  Ostra?,  sp. 

2.  Chione  varians.  6.  Octaeonella  oviformis. 

3.  Mactra  ashbumeri.  7.  Cucullsea  truncata. 

4.  Honioniya  concentrica. 

Xote. — The  above  fossils  were  collected  at  a  point  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Yukon 
River,  a  short  distance  above  Xulato.  They  have  been  identified  by  Prof.  F.  M. 
Anderson,  of  the  University  of  California,  as  belonging  to  the  Upper  Cretaceous 
(Chico)  fossils,  and  are  chiefly  interesting  from  the  fact  that  the  Chico  fauna  of 
Alaska  has  not  yet  become  known  to  geological  science,  and  this  serves  to  illustrate 
its  similarity  to  that  of  Oregon  and  California. 


METEOROLOGICAL  RECORD. 

The  state  of  the  weather  is  indicated  by  the  following  letters  (Beauforts  notation): 


b  Blue  sky. 

c  Clouds  (detached). 

d  Drizzling  rain. 

f  Foggy. 
g  Gloom  v. 
h  Hail. 

1  Lightning, 
m  Misty. 
o  Overcast. 


p  Passing  showers, 
q  Squally, 
r  Rain. 
s  Snow, 
t  Thunder. 

u  Ugly  (threatening)  appearances, 
v  Visibilitv. 
w  Wet  (dew.) 
z  Hazv. 


Record  of  the  weather  kept  on  board  the  C  >'.  >'.  Xuirivat,  Yukon  River,  Alaska. 

SEPTEMBER.  1899. 
[Astronomical  time  used.] 


Date. 


Place. 


•Jh. 


4b. 


Rampart  City  65° 

32' X..  150°  WW... 

do 

65°  40'  N.,  149°  55' 

W 

66°  00'  X.,  149°  15' 

W 

do 

do 

Rampart  City 

do * 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Coal  mine  65°  40' 

N.,  149°  55' W 

do 

do 

Between  coal  mine 

and  Dall  River. . . 

Dall  River  66°  OO7 

X.,  149°  15'  W.... 

do 


be 
be 


be 


be 


be 
be 

be 

be 

c 

be 
be 
be 

o 

be 
be 
be 

kP 
b  c 

be 

be 

OS 

osd 
be 

OS 

be 

be 
be 
be 

o 
be 

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OS 

be 
be 


Sh. 


Bh. 


be 
be 

be 

o 

be 
be 
be 
be 

o 

be 
be 

o 

be 
be 
be  p 

o 

OS 
OS 

be 

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be 

be 
be 

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o  s 
be 

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be 
b 


be 
be 


lOh.  12h. 


be   o  c 
be   be 


be   be 


be 
be 
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be 

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be 
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b 
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14h.  16h.  18h.  20h.  22h.  24h. 


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be 


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be 

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dc 
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kCP 
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be 
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be 
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be 
o 

OS 

be 

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OS 

be 

be 
be 
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be 
or 
o  m 
be 
be 
b 


292 

Record  of  the  weather  kept  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak,  Yukon  River,  Alaska — Cont'd. 

OCTOBER,  1899. 


Date. 


Place. 


2h. 


4h. 

6h. 

8h. 

lOh. 

b 

be 

be 

be 

o  c 

o  c 

o  s 

o  s 

be 

o 

0 

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o  s 

OS 

OS 

o 

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b 

be 

be 

be 

0 

be 

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be 

b 

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o 

0 

0 

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OS 

o 

b 

b 

0 

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o  s 

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12h. 


16h. 

18h. 

o 

o  c 

be 

o 

o 

0  s 

o  s 

0  s 

b 

o 

20h. 

22h. 

be 

o 

b  c  s 

b  cs 

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be 

be 

be 

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be 

be 

be 

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be 

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bf 

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0 

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0 

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be 

be 

0 

0 

bef 

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be 

be 

o  S 

o  s 

24h. 


Dall  River. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

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do 

do. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 


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be 
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be 
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be 

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be 

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be 
be 
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be 
o  s 
be 

o 

be 
be 
o  s 


NOVEMBER,  1899. 


Fort    Shoemaker, 
Dall  River, Alaska. 

....do 

....do 

4   do 

5   do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

10  I do 

11   do 

12    do 

13    do 

14    do 

15   do 

16    do 

17    do 

18    do 

19    do 

20    do 

21  I do 

22    do 

23  i do 

24    do 

25    do 

26    do 

27    do 

..do 

..do 

30    do 


o  s 

0  s 

0  s 

OS 

OS 

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b 

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1)  c  s 

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bz 


OF  TH£ 


293 


Record  of  the  weather  kept  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Xunivak,  Yukon  Eiver,  Alaska — Cont'd. 

DECEMBER,  1899. 


Date. 


Place. 


2h.       4h. 


6h.       8h.      lOh.     12h.     14h 


Fort    Shoemaker, 
Dall  River.  Alaska,    be 
do 


.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 


be 
be 

o  s 
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be 
be 
o  c  s 
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be 
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OS 

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be 
be 

b 

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|  be 


be 
be 
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|  be 
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be 
be 
be 
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be 
be 


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be 

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be 

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be 

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be 
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be 
be 

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b 


16h. 


b 
be 

OS 

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be 
oc 
be 
be 

o 

be 
o  s 
be 
be 

b 

b 

b 
be 

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be 
be 
be 

b 
be 

b 


18h. 

20h. 

22h. 

b 

be 

be 

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be 

be 

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24h. 


be 
be 

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OS 

be 
be 

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be 

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be 

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be 
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be 
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be 
be 
be 
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be 
be 
be 
be 
oc 
be 
be 
be 

b 


JANUARY,  1900. 


1  Fort     Shoemaker. 

Dall  River,  Alaska 

2   do 

3    do 

4  I do 

5    do 

6  I do 

7    do 

8    do 

9   do 

10    do 

11    do 

12    do 

13    do 

14    do 

15    do 

16    do 

17    do 

18   do 

19   do 

20   do 

21  .....do 

22    do 

23    do 

24    do 

25    do 

26    do 

27    do 

28    do 

29    do 

30    do 

31    do 


be 

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be 

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b 

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be 
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be 
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b  c  z 
b  cz 
b  cz 

OS 

bes 

OS 
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be 
be 

be 

OS 

o 

OS 

be 
be 

of 


294 

Record  of  the  weather  kept  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak,  Yukon  River,  Alaska — Cont'd. 

FEBRUARY,  1900. 


Date. 


Place. 


Fort     Shoemaker, 
Dall  River,  Alaska 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

. . . .do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 


2h. 

4h. 

oc 

o  c 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o  s 

0 

be 

be 

o  s 

o  s 

be 

0 

be 

b  C  8 

be 

0 

0 

be 

be 

be 

0 

OS 

OS 

o 

be 

O  c 

b 

b 

b 

be 

b 

b 

be 

be 

be 

b 

b 

b 

b 

be 

o  s 

OS 

be 

be 

be 

be 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

6h. 


o 
be 

b 
o  s 
be 
o  s 
be 
be 

o 

be 
be 
o  s 

o 

o 

b 
bz 

b 
be 

b 

b 

be 
o  s 
be 
be 

b 

b 

b 

b 


8h.  \   lOh.  12h.  14h. 


b 
be  ; 

b 

o  s 
be 

o 
be 

o 
be 

o 

o 

OS 

o 

o 

b 
bz 

b 
be 

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b 

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be 
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be 

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be 
be 

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be 
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be 
be 
be 
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be 

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b 

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be 

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c 

b 
bz 

b 

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be 
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b 

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b 

b 


16h.  18h. 


be 

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be 

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be 
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c  c 

b 
b  c  z 

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b 
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be 
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be 
be 

o 

o 

o 
c  c 

b 

o 

b 
be 

b 

b 

b 

be 
be 
be 

b 

b 

b 
be 

b 


20h. 


bef 

b 

o  s 
be 

o 

be 
be 
be 
be 

o 
o  s 

o 

o 

be 
of 
be 
be 
be 
be  z 
be  z 
bs 
be 
be 
be 

b 

bz 
be 

b 


22h. 


be 
be 

OS 

be 

o 

be 
be 
be 
o  c 
b  cs 

OS 

o  s 
be 
bz 
bef 
be 
be 

b 

b 

b 

o 

be 
be 
be 

b 

b 

b 

b 


MARCH,  1900. 


M 

11 
12 
13 

14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
28 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
81 


Fort    Shoemaker, 
Dall  River,  Alaska 

....do. 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....a0 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 


b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

be 

o  c 

be 

be 

b 

b 

be 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

be 

be 

be 

bz 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

be 

b 

b 

b 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

b 

b 

b 

be 

b 

b 

b 

bz 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

bef 

bz 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

bf 

bf 

bf 

bf 

bf 

b 

b 

b 

bz 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

bz 

bz 

b 

be 

b 

be 

be 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

•  b 

b 

b 

b 

bf 

b 

b 

b 

b 

bz 

bz 

b 

b 

b 

b 

bz 

bz 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o  c 

0 

0 

OS 

o  s 

o  s 

0 

0 

o 

o 

0 

o 

0 

0 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o  c 

o  c 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o  c 

o  c 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

b  c  p 

be 

be 

be 

be 

b 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

b 

be 

b  c  z 

be 

be 

b 

b 

bz 

b 

b 

b 

b 

b 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o 

o 

be 

bz 

b 

be 

0 

0 

be 

be 

be 

b 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o 

0 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

0 

o  s  f 

1)  s 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

b 

b 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

OS 

OS 

O  8 

o 

o 

o 

be 

o 

o 

be 

be 

o  s 

OS 

O  S 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o  s 

O  B 

o  s 

oc 

o  s 

0 

o 

0 

OS 

o 

OS 

o  s 

o  s 

o  c 

o  s 

OS 

0 

OS 

o 

o  s 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o  s 

0 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

0 

o 

0 

o  s 

b  c  s 

0 

o 

0  s 

o  s 

o 

0 

o 

be 

be 

be 

o  s 

0  s 

be 

o  c 

o 

o  s 

b  c  s 

o  s 

OS 

o 

0 

o  s 

OS 

295 

Record  of  the  weather  kept  on  hoard  the  U.  &  S.  Xunivak,  Yukon  River,  Alaska — Cont'd. 

APRIL,  1900. 


Date. 

Place. 

2h. 

4h. 

6h. 

8h. 

lOh. 

12h. 

14h. 

16h. 

18h. 

20h. 

22h. 

24h. 

1 
2 

Fort  Shoemaker, 

Da  11  River,  Alaska . 

do 

OS 

o  s 
be 
be 
b  c  s 
•  o  s 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
o 
be 

0 

be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
o 

be 
be 

OS 
OS 

be 
be 

o  s 

OS 

be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
o 
be 

0 

bp  s 
be 
be 
be 

b  cs 
o 

0 

be 

be 
o  s 
be 
be 
o  s 
o  s 

b 

be 
be 
be 
be 
o  c 
be 
o  c 

o 

be 
be 
be 
be 

o 

o 

o 

bs 
be 
be 
b  cm 
b  c  p 
be 

o 
be 

be 
0  s 
be 
be 

o 
o  s 

b 
be 

b 

be 
be 
oc 
be 
oc 
be 
be 
be 
be 
ops 

0 

o 

o 

o 
b  c  s 
b  c 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 

be 

OS 

b 
o  s 

OS 
OS 

b 
be 

b 

be 
be 
o  c 

b 
be 

o 

be 
om 
be 
be 

o 

o 

o 

o 

o  s 
b  c 
be 
be 
be 

OS 

b 

be 
o  S 
b 

0 

o  s 

OS 

b 
be 

b 
be 

b 
o  c 

b 

o 

o  r 
be 
o  s 

b 

o 

o 

0 

be 

o 

o 
be 

b 

be 
be 

o 

b 

o 
o  s 

b 

o  s 
be 

OS 

be 

be  z 

b 

be 
b 

o  c 
be 
o  m 

OS 

be 
o  s 
be 

o 

o 

0 

be 
be 

o 
be 

b 

be 
or 

o 

b 

o 

0 

be 

OS 
OS 

o  s 
be 
be 

b 

be 
be 
o  c 
be 
o  r 

o 

o 

o 
be 

o 

o 

o 

be 
be 

0 

be 
be 
be 

o 
b  c  s 

b 

o 
o 
be 

o  s 
o  s 

OS 

be 
oc 

b 

be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
o  s 
be 
o 
be 

0 

be 
o 

be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
oq 

0 

b 

o 

be 
b  c  s 
o  s 
o  s 
be 
be 
oc 
be 
be 

b 

be 
be 
be 
o  s 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 

OS 

be 
be 
be 
be 
be 

o 

be 
be 

b 

o  s 
be 
be 
o  s 

OS 

be 
be 
o  c 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 

o 

be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
o  s 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 

o 

b 

OS 

be 

3 

do 

be 

4 

do 

5 

....do 

6 

do 

be 

7 

do 

be 

8 

9 

10 

11 

do 

do 

do 

do 

be 
be 
be 
be 

12 

do 

be 

13 

...do 

be 

14 

do 

be 

15 

do 

o 

16 

do 

be 

17 

do 

be 

18 

do 

o  c 

19 

do 

be 

20 

do 

b  c 

21 

do 

o 

22 

do 

be 

23 

....do 

be 

24 

do 

b  c 

25 

do 

be 

26 

do 

be 

27 

...do  ... 

be 

28 

...do 

be 

29 

do 

o  c 

30 

do 

be 

MAY,  1900. 


Fort     Shoemaker, 
Dall  River,  Alaska . 

.....Tio 

do 

do 

do , 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

.....do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do... 

do 

do 

do 

do 

.....do 

do 

do 

do 

S-65°55'X.,149°18'W. 


^65°40,X.,149°55,W. 


be 

be 

be 

be 

b 

b 

b 

o 

o 

o 

o 

OS 

0 

o 

o 

0 

o 

0 

be 

bep 

be 

be 

o 

be 

o 

be 

be 

be 

0 

o 

OS 

OS 

bcr 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

b 

b 

b 

b 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o  c 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o  r 

or 

o 

be 

be 

be 

be 

b  cz 

or 

or 

be 

be 

be 

o  c 

oc 

o  c 

oc 

oc 

be 

be 

be 

b 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be  ! 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

0 

be  | 

be 

be 

be 

be 

og 

og 

og 

og  ; 

o 

o 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be  J 

be 

0 

be 

be 

b  c 

o  r 

0 

OS 

o 

be 

be 

opr 

be 

be 

be 

O 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

b  c 

b  c 

be 

be 

be 

be  i 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

bcr 

be 

o  c 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o 

o 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o 

o 

o 

om 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o  r 

o  r 

or 

or 

0 

be 

bcr 

or 

op 

op 

o 

be 

o 

opt 

be 

o 

o  r 

op 

be 

be 

be 

o  r 

or 

be 

be 

be 

of 

of 

of 

or 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o 

Lbc 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

be 

o 
o 
of 

OS 

be 
be 
be 
o  c 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 

b  c 

OS 

o 

be 
be 
bep 
o  s 
be 
be 
be 
o  sp 

o 

o 

of 
be 
be 


og 
og 

b  c 
be 

b 

be 
o  c 

o 

be 
be 
be 
be 
oc 
og 
be 

OS 

be 
be 
be 
be 

OS 

be 

o 

be 
be 

o 

o 

be 
be 
be 


OS 

og 
be 
be 
be 

b 

be 
o  s 

o 

o 

be 
be 
be 
og 

be 

o 

be 
be 
be 
be 
o  s 
be 

o 

be 
be 
be 
o  e 
be 
be 
be 


OS 

o 

be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 
be 

o 

b 

o 

be 
og 

Is 
be 

o 

be 

be 

be 

be 
os 
o 
be 

beq 

b  c 
be 
o  r 
be 
bcr 
be 


'296 

ATMOSPHERIC  PRESSURES. 

Readings  of  the  aneroid  barometer  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  jYunivak,  Yukon  River,  Alaska. 

SEPTEMBER,  1899. 
[Astronomical  time  used — 29+ inches.] 


Date. 

Place. 

2h. 

4h. 

6h. 

8h. 

lOh. 

12h. 

14h. 

16h. 

18h. 

20h. 

22h. 

24h. 

1 

\ Rampart  City,  65° 
J  32' N.,  150°  10' W.. 

fl.20 
i  .95 

1.12 

1.10 

1.10 

1.08 

1.05 

1.03 

1.01 

1.00 

1.00 

0.99 

0.98 

2 

.93 

.90 

.89 

.90 

.89 

.88 

.86 

.86 

.86 

.84 

.80 

3 

.....do 

.75 

.71 

.67 

.67 

.65 

.64 

.65 

.64 

.62 

.60 

.56 

.53 

4 

65°     40'     N.,    149° 

55'W 

-47 

.43 

.40 

.37 

.37 

.36 

.35 

.33 

.32 

.32 

.29 

.29 

5 

66° N.,  149°  15' W... 

.30 

.29 

.29 

.32 

.36 

.38 

.40 

.45 

.48 

.50 

.51 

.55 

6 

do 

.65 

.57 

.60 

.62 

.66 

.67 

.67 

.67 

.70 

.68 

.68 

.63 

7 

Rampart  Citv 

.59 

.50 

.49 

.44 

.42 

.40 

.41 

.38 

.36 

.36 

.35 

.33 

8 

do 

.29 

.26 

.26 

.27 

.30 

.31 

.33 

.34 

.34 

.33 

.33 

.31 

9 

do 

.27 

.25 

.25 

.25 

.26 

.30 

.34 

.36 

.40 

.45 

.48 

.50 

10 

do 

.54 

.56 

.59 

.63 

.66 

.70 

.75 

.76 

.78 

.80 

.82 

.84 

11 

do 

.83 

.81 

.78 

.78 

.80 

.80 

.78 

.78 

.73 

.74 

.67 

.60 

12 

do 

.51 

.43 

.38 

.35 

.33 

.36 

.35 

.36 

.36 

.37 

.37 

.37 

13 

do 

.36 

.38 

.38 

.40 

.44 

.48 

.52 

.54 

.57 

.57 

.57 

.60 

14 

do 

.67 

.70 

.81 

.86 

.91 

.95 

.93 

.93 

.88 

.87 

.87 

.91 

15 

do 

.88 

.83 

.83 

.82 

.80 

.83 

.75 

.75 

.75 

.77 

.78 

.80 

16 

do 

.81 

.79 

.80 

.80 

.78 

.76 

.74 

.70 

.74 

.74 

.73 

.73 

17 

do 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.72 

.73 

.74 

.73 

.72 

.70 

.68 

.66 

.65 

18 

Coal  Mine,  65°  40' 

N.,  149°  55'W.... 
do 

.66 

.67 

.69 

.70 

.75 

.80 

.81 

.81 

.86 

.89 

.91 

.93 

19 

.93 

.92 

.92 

.92 

.90 

.89 

.87 

.83 

.76 

.69 

.60 

.52 

20 

do 

.45 

.39 

.34 

.31 

.29 

.30 

.32 

.33 

.40 

.43 

.47 

.48 

21 

do 

.54 

.51 

.57 

.58 

.61 

.66 

.70 

.71 

.74 

.74 

.73 

.74 

22 

\Dall  River,  66°  N., 
J    149°  15' W 

t  .74 
\  .61 

.72 

.71 

.70 

.67 

.66 

.64 

.63 

.62 

.62 

.62 

.61 

23 

.63 

.64 

.66 

.68 

.69 

.66 

.75 

.76 

.76 

.75 

.74 

24 

.....do 

.71 

.71 

.68 

.67 

.67 

.68 

.67 

.67 

.68 

.69 

.69 

.69 

25 

do... 

.66 

.68 

.69 

.68 

.68 

.68 

.69 

.71 

.69 

.67 

.67 

.67 

26 

do... 

.64 

.63 

.60 

.59 

.59 

.57 

.58 

.58 

.55 

.53 

.53 

.52 

27 

do... 

.51 

.46 

.44 

.41 

.38 

.34 

.34 

.34 

.32 

.29 

.33 

.38 

28 

do... 

.39 

.45 

.42 

.46 

.48 

.52 

.58 

.60 

.70 

.78 

.82 

.87 

29 

do... 

.94 

.99 

1.04 

1.10 

1.16 

1.18 

1.23 

1.24 

1.26 

1.26 

1.25 

1.24 

30 

do... 

1.21 

1.18 

1.16 

1.12 

1.11 

1.10 

1.09 

1.08 

1.04 

1.04 

1.02 

.98 

OCTOBER,  1899. 


1 

Dall  River 

0.92 

0.89 

0.87 

0.83 

0.83 

0.82 

0.79 

0.79 

0.77 

0.74 

0.72 

0.70 

2 

do 

.68 

.66 

.64 

.62 

.62 

.62 

.64 

.64 

.66 

.67 

.63 

.62 

3 

do 

.61 

.59 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.57 

.54 

.53 

.49 

.44 

.36 

4 

do 

.26 

.18 

.20 

-.01 

-.05 

-.07 

-.10 

-.10 

-.11 

-.11 

-.07 

-.04 

5 

do 

.00 

.02 

.08 

.15 

.16 

.22 

.30 

.32 

.37 

.40 

.44 

.49 

6 

do 

.50 

.52 

.54 

.56 

.64 

.67 

.70 

.72 

.72 

.72 

.72 

.73 

7 

do 

.71 

.75 

.77 

.80 

.87 

.90 

.93 

.92 

.96 

.96 

.99 

.99 

8 

do 

1.01 

1.02 

1.02 

1.05 

1.04 

1.02 

1.05 

1.05 

1.05 

1.07 

1.10 

1.12 

9 

do 

1.16 

1.20 

1.26 

1.28 

1.33 

1.40 

1.39 

1.40 

1.40 

1.41 

1.39 

1.38 

10 

do 

1.32 

1.29 

1.28 

1.24 

1.21 

1.20 

1.20 

1.20 

1.18 

1.16 

1.16 

1.15 

11 

do 

1.14 

1.12 

1.12 

1.12 

1.12 

1.10 

1.06 

1.03 

1.00 

.98 

.98 

.94 

12 

do 

.84 

.78 

.75 

.71 

.66 

.63 

.60 

.58 

.55 

.53 

.54 

.56 

13 

do 

.59 

.62 

.63 

.72 

.78 

.77 

.84 

.88 

.90 

.89 

.89 

.88 

14 

do 

.86 

.84 

.83 

.84 

.84 

.80 

.72 

.75 

.73 

.72 

.70 

.68 

15 

do 

.68 

.67 

.68 

.68 

.69 

.72 

.74 

.75 

.76 

.78 

.80 

.83 

16 

do 

.84 

.86 

.88 

.89 

.90 

.92 

.87 

.91 

.92 

.94 

.95 

.96 

17 

do 

.97 

.97 

.98 

1.00 

1.03 

1.05 

1.09 

1.10 

1.12 

1.15 

1.17 

1.17 

18 

do 

1.18 

1.18 

1.18 

1.16 

1.16 

1.16 

1.15 

1.13 

1.12 

1.10 

1.08 

1.04 

19 

do 

1.00 

.96 

.93 

.93 

.90 

.90 

.90 

.90 

.86 

.81 

.80 

.78 

20 

do 

.74 

.75 

.71 

.70 

.70 

.66 

.65 

.65 

.66 

.69 

.69 

.70 

21 

do 

.70 

.70 

.73 

.75 

.76 

.76 

.78 

.76 

.77 

.77 

.77 

.75 

22 

do 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.73 

.72 

.70 

.71 

.71 

.70 

.69 

.68 

23 

do 

.66 

.65 

.64 

.63 

.63 

.62 

.60 

.59 

.58 

.58 

.57 

.58 

24 

do 

.58 

.56 

.56 

.55 

.55 

.55 

.54 

.50 

.47 

.45 

.41 

.40 

25 

do 

.37 

.34 

.32 

.31 

.30 

.30 

.32 

.29 

.26 

.22 

.22 

.19 

26 

do 

.16 

.14 

.10 

.09 

.08 

.07 

.07 

.06 

.06 

.06 

.07 

.09 

27 

dc 

.11 

.12 

.14 

.17 

.18 

.19 

.20 

.22 

.22 

.23 

.23 

.23 

28 

do 

.21 

.18 

.14 

.14 

.12 

.10 

.10 

.10 

.10 

.10 

.10 

.10 

29 

do 

.09 

.06 

.05 

.02 

.04 

.06 

.06 

.10 

.12 

.16 

.17 

.19 

30 

do 

.22 

.25 

.32 

.41 

.45 

.51 

.52 

.53 

.56 

.56 

.54 

.52 

31 

do 

.51 

.50 

.31 

.50 

.50 

.50 

.48 

.44 

.44 

.44 

.46 

.48 

297 

Readings  of  the  aneroid  barometer  on  board  the  V.  8.  S.  Nunivak,  Yukon  River.  Alaska — 

Continued. 

NOVEMBER,  1899. 


Date. 

Place. 

2h. 

4h. 

6h. 

8h. 

lOh. 

12h. 

14h. 

16h. 

18h. 

20h. 

22h. 

24h. 

1 

Fort    Shoemaker, 

DallRiver,  Alaska 

0.47 

0.49 

0.52 

0.53 

0.54 

0.52 

0.50 

0.48 

0.40 

0.43 

0.41 

0.40 

2 

do 

.38 

.40 

.42 

.46 

.50 

.55 

.55 

.56 

.58 

.62 

.67 

.66 

3 

do 

.73 

.78 

.85 

.90 

.94 

.98 

1.02 

1.04 

1.10 

1.10 

1.13 

1.15 

4 

do 

1.16 

1.16 

1.18 

1.18 

1.17 

1.18 

1.14 

1.10 

1.12 

1.12 

1.10 

1.10 

5 

do 

1.07 

1.05 

1.02 

1.01 

1.00 

.98 

.98 

.94 

.92 

.91 

.88 

.88 

6 

do 

.86 

.84 

.83 

.82 

.80 

.81 

.81 

.82 

.82 

.84 

.86 

.88 

7 

do 

.88 

.87 

.88 

.90 

.92 

.93 

.94 

.96 

.96 

.97 

.98 

.99 

8 

do 

1.00 

1.04 

1.06 

1.09 

1.12 

1.13 

1.14 

1.15 

1.17 

1.18 

1.18 

1.22 

9 

do 

1.20 

1.20 

1.20 

1.16 

1.18 

1.15 

1.16 

1.11 

1.18 

1.08 

1.05 

1.06 

10 

do 

1.05 

1.03 

1.02 

1.02 

1.03 

1.02 

1.02 

1.09 

.99 

.99 

.99 

.99 

11 

do 

.98 

.96 

.96 

.97 

.96 

.96 

.97 

.96 

.97 

.97 

.97 

.98 

12 

do 

.98 

.98 

.98 

.98 

.99 

.99 

.98 

.93 

.93 

.83 

.84 

.80 

13 

do 

.77 

.74 

.74 

.70 

.70 

.70 

.70 

.70 

.67 

.67 

.67 

.65 

14 

do 

.64 

.60 

.58 

.57 

.57 

.54 

.50 

.46 

.46 

.46 

.46 

.45 

15 

do 

.38 

.40 

.41 

.40 

.45 

.46 

.46 

.48 

.48 

.50 

.50 

.48 

16 

do 

.47 

.47 

.43 

.42 

.40 

.36 

.38 

.25 

.20 

.16 

.14 

.12 

17 

do 

.11 

.10 

.10 

.10 

.10 

.10 

.12 

.12 

.13 

.14 

.16 

.17 

18 

do 

.18 

.20 

.22 

.23 

.24 

.26 

.28 

.30 

.31 

.34 

.38 

.41 

19 

do 

.43 

.45 

.48 

.49 

.55 

.55 

.55 

.58 

.58 

.58 

.59 

.59 

20 

do 

.59 

.58 

.58 

.58 

.58 

.54 

.54 

.53 

.51 

.50 

.49 

.49 

21 

do 

.47 

.46 

.46 

.47 

.48 

.48 

.48 

.48 

.46 

.46 

.45 

.45 

22 

do 

.46 

.44 

.44 

.44 

.44 

.43 

.43 

.41 

.40 

.39 

.38 

.35 

23 

do 

.32 

.29 

.26 

.25 

.24 

.24 

.24 

.26 

.30 

.32 

.38 

.44 

24 

do 

.47 

.50 

.53 

.58 

.60 

.61 

.60 

.58 

.56 

.54 

.53 

.50 

25 

do 

.47 

.46 

.43 

.42 

.41 

.40 

.38 

.33 

.32 

.31 

.29 

.28 

26 

do 

.28 

.24 

.25 

.25 

.25 

.26 

.26 

.24 

.26 

.26 

.26 

.26 

27 

do 

.26 

.26 

.27 

.26 

.26 

.26 

.27 

.27 

.27 

.30 

.33 

.38 

28 

do 

.38 

.39 

.42 

.43 

.45 

.48 

.48 

.44 

.44 

.45 

.45 

.45 

29 

do 

.46 

.46 

.46 

.47 

.47 

.47 

.47 

.47 

.48 

.48 

.48 

.50 

30 

do 

.51 

.52 

.54 

.56 

.58 

.61 

.62 

.62 

.62 

.64 

.66 

.67 

DECEMBER,  1899. 


1 

Fort    Shoemaker, 

Dall  River,  Alaska 

0.68 

0.68 

0.68 

0.68 

0.64 

0.63 

0.56 

0.51 

0.51 

0.52 

0.54 

0.54 

2 

do 

.52 

.50 

.46 

.45 

.46 

.46 

.47 

.47 

.48 

.48 

.48 

.48 

3 

do 

.47 

.44 

.42 

.36 

.28 

.21 

.15 

.10 

.06 

.00 

-.04 

-.04 

4 

do 

-.04 

-.05 

-.01 

.00 

.02 

.04 

.10 

.10 

.14 

.18 

.24 

.27 

5 

do 

.31 

.34 

.37 

.40 

.43 

.45 

.48 

.48 

.46 

.46 

.48 

.50 

6 

do 

.50 

.51 

.53 

.54 

.56 

.56 

.57 

.56 

.57 

.58 

.60 

.59 

7 

do 

.50 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.61 

.62 

.61 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.60 

8 

do 

.60 

.59 

.61 

.61 

.63 

.84 

.66 

.67 

.68 

.72 

.74 

.74 

9 

do 

.74 

.73 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.76 

.80 

.82 

10 

.....do 

.87 

.91 

.97 

1.00 

1.06 

1.11 

1.18 

1.24 

1.29 

1.31 

1.39 

1.41 

11 

do 

1.44 

1.46 

1.48 

1.48 

1.50 

1.51 

1.51 

1.49 

1.48 

1.46 

1.46 

1.48 

12 

do 

1.46 

1.50 

1.53 

1.56 

1.60 

1.64 

1.68 

1.69 

1.70 

1.70 

1.70 

1.71 

13 

do 

1.68 

1.66 

1.62 

1.60 

1.57 

1.55 

1.53 

1.48 

1.46 

1.42 

1.37 

1.35 

14 

do 

1.30 

1.28 

1.26 

1.24 

1.23 

1.23 

1.21 

1.16 

1.14 

1.09 

1.06 

1.05 

15 

do 

1.02 

1.01 

1.03 

1.06 

1.06 

1.07 

1.07 

1.04 

1.00 

.95 

.91 

.89 

16 

do... 

.83 

.79 

.76 

.71 

.67 

.63 

.59 

.56 

.55 

.55 

.58 

.60 

17 

do 

.61 

.61 

.61 

.55 

.51 

.47 

.46 

.43 

.41 

.38 

.36 

.32 

18 

do 

.27 

.24 

.21 

*.19 

.18 

.17 

.15 

.15 

.16 

.16 

.17 

.20 

19 

do 

.18 

.19 

.20 

.20 

.19 

.20 

.20 

.20 

.16 

.16 

.14 

.12 

20 

do 

.17 

.16 

.14 

.03 

.01 

.03 

.03 

.06 

.08 

.12 

.19 

.25 

21 

.....do 

.26 

.30 

.34 

.38 

.43 

.45 

.45 

.47 

.52 

.59 

.67 

.73 

22 

do 

.76 

.80 

.86 

.91 

.98 

1.03 

1.04 

1.05 

1.06 

1.06 

1.07 

1.07 

23 

do 

1.03 

1.04 

1.04 

1.05 

1.05 

1.05 

1.03 

1.02 

1.00 

1.00 

1.00 

1.00 

24 

do 

1.00 

.99 

.99 

1.02 

1.03 

1.08 

1.10 

1.14 

1.18 

1.24 

1.30 

1.37 

25 

do 

1.39 

1.41 

1.47 

1.52 

1.56 

1.60 

1.63 

1.68 

1.71 

1.74 

1.78 

1.83 

26 

do 

1.85 

1.84 

1.86 

1.88 

1.90 

1.90 

1.90 

1.91 

1.90 

1.90 

1.90 

1.92 

27 

do 

1.90 

1.89 

1.85 

1.78 

1.76 

1.72 

1.70 

1.64 

1.62 

1.58 

1.55 

1.50 

28 

do 

1.42 

1.33 

1.28 

1.20 

1.13 

1.03 

.94 

.86 

.79 

.75 

.70 

.69 

29 

do 

.70 

.72 

.71 

.73 

.74 

.76 

.80 

.84 

.87 

.92 

1.00 

1.04 

30 

do 

1.07 

1.12 

1.17 

1.19 

1.26 

1.31 

1.36 

1.39 

1.43 

1.44 

1.50 

1.52 

31 

do 

1.53 

1.51 

1.52 

1.52 

1.53 

1.53 

1.52 

1.52 

1.48 

1.48 

1.61 

1.53 

298 

Headings  of  the  aneroid  barometer  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak,  Yukon  River,  Alaska — 

Continued. 

JANUARY,  1900. 


Date. 

Place. 

2h. 

4h. 

6h 

8h. 

lOh. 

12h. 

14h. 

16h. 

18h. 

20h. 

22h. 

24h. 

1 

Fort    Shoemaker, 

Dall  River,  Alaska. 

1.53 

1.54 

1.55 

1.56 

1.56 

1.56 

1.54 

1.54 

1.54 

1.53 

1.52 

1.51 

2 

do 

1.47 

1.46 

1.44 

1.40 

1.36 

1.34 

1.33 

1.32 

1.29 

1.26 

1.26 

1.22 

3 

do 

1.16 

1.16 

1.14 

1.11 

1.09 

1.05 

1.02 

.99 

.94 

.91 

.90 

89 

4 

do 

.86 

.86 

.86 

.87 

.88 

.90 

.93 

.95 

.96 

.97 

1.00 

1.01 

5 

do 

1.02 

1.02 

1.02 

1.02 

1.03 

1.04 

1.04 

1.04 

1.04 

1.04 

1.04 

1.04 

6 

do 

1.00 

1.00 

.99 

1.00 

1.00 

.99 

.99 

.98 

.98 

.99 

1.02 

1.03 

7 

do 

1.04 

1.06 

1.05 

1.07 

1.07 

1.09 

1.10 

1.08 

1.08 

1.08 

1.07 

1.06 

8 

do 

1.00 

.99 

.97 

.91 

.87 

.82 

.78 

.73 

.67 

.64 

.62 

.60 

9 

do 

.60 

.60 

.59 

.62 

.63 

.63 

.66 

.68 

.68 

.72 

.75 

.75 

10 

do 

.77 

.77 

.77 

.77 

.76 

.78 

.79 

.80 

.80 

.80 

.81 

.81 

11 

do 

.82 

.81 

.79 

.79 

.77 

.76 

.73 

.76 

.76 

.76 

.78 

.80 

12 

do 

.81 

.83 

.86 

.86 

.86 

.88 

.88 

.89 

.89 

.90 

.90 

.89 

13 

do 

.89 

.90 

.89 

.93 

.94 

.96 

.96 

.99 

.99 

1.00 

1.00 

1.01 

14 

do 

1.01 

1.01 

1.01 

1.02 

1.03 

1.03 

1.03 

1.03 

1.00 

.97 

.95 

.95 

15 

do 

.92 

.94 

.95 

.97 

.97 

.96 

.96 

.94 

.94 

.96 

.97 

.98 

16 

do 

.99 

.99 

1.00 

1.01 

1.01 

1.01 

1.01 

1.01 

.96 

.92 

.89 

.86 

17 

do 

.76 

.72 

.71 

.70 

.70 

.69 

.69 

.71 

.73 

.75 

.68 

.81 

18 

do 

.82 

.83 

.82 

.83 

.83 

.82 

.77 

.73 

.68 

.65 

.59 

.53 

19 

do 

.43 

.38 

.28 

.24 

.20 

.20 

.18 

.17 

.15 

.16 

.17 

.17 

20 

do 

.19 

.22 

.24 

.26 

.30 

.34 

.38 

.43 

.45 

.48 

.54 

.56 

31 

do 

.58 

.59 

.60 

.58 

.58 

.58 

.58 

.58 

.58 

.57 

,57 

.59 

22 

do 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.61 

.65 

.68 

23 

do 

.72 

.77 

.83 

.87 

.90 

.95 

.96 

1.03 

1.06 

1.12 

1.10 

1.18 

24 

do 

1.21 

1.23 

1.24 

1.26 

1.29 

1.30 

1.32 

1.34 

1.36 

1.38 

1.42 

1.44 

25 

do 

1.47 

1.47 

1.48 

1.46 

1.46 

1.46 

1.47 

1.47 

1.46 

1.43 

1.41 

1.40 

26 

do 

1.38 

1.34 

1.30 

1.24 

1.26 

1.11 

1.01 

.92 

.87 

.80 

.79 

.76 

27 

do 

.74 

.75 

.75 

.75 

.77 

.79 

.61 

.80 

.78 

.77 

.77 

.77 

28 

do 

.75 

.75 

.76 

.76 

.77 

.78 

.77 

.76 

.73 

.72 

.71 

.69 

29 

do 

.66 

.64 

.64 

.70 

.75 

.81 

.87 

.90 

.94 

.95 

1.00 

1.02 

30 

do 

1.01 

1.05 

1.10 

1.11 

1.13 

1.17 

1.19 

1.19 

1.18 

1.18 

1.22 

1.23 

31 

do 

1.24 

1.27 

1.29 

1.30 

1.30 

1.34 

1.33 

1.30 

1.30 

1.29 

1.28 

1.26 

FEBRUARY,  1900. 


1 

Fort    Shoemaker, 

Dall  River,  Alaska 

1.22 

1.21 

1.20 

1.17 

1.16 

1.15 

1.13 

1.13 

1.11 

1.09 

1.07 

1.08 

2 

do 

1.07 

1.07 

1.07 

1.08 

1.08 

1.08 

1.09 

1.09 

1.09 

1.10 

1.10 

1.09 

3 

do 

1.06 

1.04 

1.00 

.99 

.94 

.90 

.85 

.77 

.75 

.70 

.65 

.61 

4 

do 

.56 

.54 

.53 

.52 

.52 

.53 

.55 

.57 

.60 

.64 

.66 

.71 

5 

do 

.80 

.86 

.88 

.92 

.93 

.95 

1.00 

1.00 

1.00 

1.00 

1.00 

1.00 

6 

do 

.99 

.94 

.91 

.87 

.83 

.79 

.75 

.71 

.66 

.62 

.58 

.57 

7 

do 

.50 

.50 

.49 

.47 

.47 

.47 

.47 

.46 

.42 

.42 

.40 

.39 

8 

do 

.38 

.35 

.33 

.31 

.29 

.28 

.26 

.23 

.21 

.19 

.17 

.17 

9 

do 

.13 

.15 

.17 

.21 

.26 

.30 

.37 

.45 

.51 

.56 

.63 

.76 

10 

do 

.81 

.89 

.97 

1.11 

1.15 

1.21 

1.27 

1.29 

1.33 

1.35 

1.40 

1.46 

11 

do 

1.53 

1.49 

1.48 

1.49 

1.50 

1.52 

1.55 

1.60 

1.61 

1.60 

1.67 

1.68 

12 

do 

1.65 

1.64 

1.63 

1.63 

1.61 

1.61 

1.60 

1.59 

1.57 

1.58 

1.58 

1.56 

13 

do 

1.54 

1.54 

1.54 

1.54 

1.54 

1.54 

1.54 

1.56 

1.56 

1.58 

1.57 

1.58 

14 

do 

1.58 

1.58 

1.58 

1.62 

1.64 

1.64 

1.66 

1.66 

1.66 

1.66 

1.66 

1.67 

15 

do 

1.64 

1.63 

1.63 

1.66 

1.65 

1.66 

1.68 

1.68 

1.69 

1.72 

1.76 

1.77 

16 

do 

1.71 

1.68 

1.66 

1.72 

1.75 

1.76 

1.75 

1.75 

1.75 

1.75 

1.75 

1.74 

17 

do 

1.72 

1.68 

1.65 

1.65 

1/62 

1.63 

1.60 

1.58 

1.56 

1.54 

1.53 

1.51 

18 

do 

1.48 

1.41 

1.36 

1.29 

1.23 

1.14 

1.06 

.97 

.92 

.98 

.90 

.88 

19 

do 

.85 

.89 

.96 

1.05 

1.11 

1.15 

1.17 

1.20 

1.21 

1.22 

1.24 

1.25 

20 

do 

1.24 

1.22 

1.19 

1.16 

1.12 

1.08 

1.04 

1.00 

.96 

.93 

.90 

.89 

21 

do 

.89 

.90 

.90 

.92 

.95 

.96 

.96 

.97 

.99 

.99 

1.00 

1.03 

22 

do 

1.02 

1.00 

.99 

.96 

.93 

.89 

.88 

.83 

.79 

.76 

.73 

.69 

23 

do 

.65 

.43 

.62 

.61 

.60 

.60 

.61 

.61 

.63 

.63 

.69 

.71 

24 

do 

.73 

.75 

.78 

.81 

.83 

.86 

.89 

.90 

.91 

.91 

.92 

.93 

25 

do 

.91 

.89 

.84 

.82 

.81 

.83 

.84 

.84 

.86 

.87 

.88 

.89 

26 

do 

.88 

.86 

.86 

.86 

.87 

.88 

.88 

.89 

.91 

.96 

1.01 

1.02 

27 

do 

1.04 

1.06 

1.11 

1.14 

1.15 

1.16 

1.16 

1.17 

1.19 

1.22 

1.24 

1.29 

28 

do 

1.29 

1.29 

1.28 

1.28 

1.25 

1.26 

1.26 

1.26 

1.26 

1.26 

1.26 

1.28 

299 

Readings  of  the  aneroid  barometer  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak,  Yukon  River,  Alaska- 
Continued. 

MARCH,  1900. 


Date. 

Place. 

U. 

4h. 

6h. 

8h. 

10h. 

12h. 

14h. 

16h. 

18h. 

20h. 

22h. 

24h. 

1 

Fort    Shoemaker, 

Dall  River,  Alaska 

1.27 

1.27 

1.27 

1.24 

1.22 

1.21 

1.17 

1.16 

1.16 

1.20 

1.25 

1.31 

2 

do 

1,36 

1.42 

1.44 

1.46 

1.50 

1.55 

1.56 

1.61 

1.66 

1.70 

1.74 

1.76 

3 

do 

1.73 

1.78 

1.77 

1.73 

1.74 

1.73 

1.68 

1.65 

1.63 

1.59 

1.56 

1.52 

4 

do 

1.45 

1.39 

1.34 

1.36 

1.25 

1.21 

1.18 

1.18 

1.20 

1.17 

1.21 

1.25 

5 

do 

1.23 

1.22 

1.20 

1.24 

1.27 

1.29 

1.30 

1.31 

1.34 

1.37 

1.40 

1.49 

6 

...  .do 

1.37 

1.34 

1.32 

1.32 

1.32 

1.31 

1.30 

1.30 

1.29 

1.31 

1.32 

1.32 

7 

do 

1.32 

1.30 

1.28 

1.28 

1.28 

1.28 

1.29 

1.28 

1.26 

1.24 

1.22 

1.22 

8 

do 

1.16 

1.14 

1.12 

1.11 

1.12 

1.12 

1.08 

1.04 

1.00 

.98 

.96 

.94 

9 

do 

.85 

.80 

.77 

.76 

.79 

.80 

.82 

.82 

.84 

.85 

.89 

.89 

10 

.....do 

.93 

.91 

.90 

.90 

.85 

.81 

.78 

.78 

.78 

.70 

.75 

.71 

11 

do 

.65 

.63 

.61 

.57 

.60 

.62 

.66 

.69 

.73 

.78 

.85 

.88 

12 

do 

.89 

.89 

.89 

.86 

.85 

.84 

.84 

.78 

.74 

.70 

.64 

.55 

13 

do 

.50 

.49 

.49 

.49 

.50 

.51 

.51 

.51 

.51 

.51 

.53 

.53 

14 

do 

.54 

.57 

.61 

.65 

.71 

.70 

.73 

.74 

.75 

.77 

.83 

.89 

15 

do 

.94 

.93 

.96 

.98 

.98 

.97 

.94 

.90 

.88 

.87 

.84 

.82 

16 

do 

.70 

.70 

.74 

.77 

.81 

.87 

.92 

.97 

1.00 

1.05 

1.11 

1.07 

17 

do 

1.08 

1.08 

1.14 

1.15 

1.16 

1.16 

1.16 

1.16 

1.16 

1.17 

1.10 

1.09 

18 

do 

1.04 

1.02 

.98 

.99 

.97 

.93 

.90 

.87 

.84 

.83 

.80 

.77 

19 

do 

.75 

.73 

.70 

.68 

,70 

.70 

.69 

.68 

.68 

.67 

.68 

.69 

20 

do 

.64 

.64 

.66 

.66 

.68 

.68 

.68 

.68 

.67 

.63 

.59 

.57 

21 

do 

.56 

.53 

.53 

.56 

.57 

.57 

.57 

.57 

.58 

.59 

.59 

.60 

22 

do 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.59 

.60 

.65 

.65 

.68 

.69 

.69 

.68 

23 

do 

.66 

.65 

.66 

.66 

.67 

.67 

.68 

.68 

.69 

.69 

.69 

.69 

24 

do 

.67 

.65 

.64 

.65 

69 

.72 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.74 

.74 

25 

do 

.71 

.70 

.73 

.74 

.76 

.78 

.80 

.81 

.83 

.84 

.85 

.85 

26 

do 

.84 

.85 

.86 

.86 

.88 

.89 

.89 

.90 

.90 

.92 

.92 

.94 

27 

do 

.92 

.92 

.92 

.94 

.96 

.97 

.98 

.98 

.98 

.99 

.97 

.97 

28 

do 

.92 

.88 

.88 

.88 

.86 

.86 

.86 

.84 

.84 

.85 

.84 

.82 

29 

do 

.80 

.79 

.79 

.82 

.84 

.84 

.85 

.85 

.85 

.86 

.86 

.87 

30 

do 

.86 

.83 

.84 

.85 

.85 

.85 

.82 

.80 

.78 

.78 

.76 

.75 

31 

do 

.70 

.68 

.64 

.62 

.60 

.54 

.52 

.49 

.48 

.45 

.42 

.38 

APRIL,  1900. 


1 

Fort    Shoemaker, 

Dall  River,  Alaska 

0.38 

0.38 

0.38 

0.38 

0.40 

0.42 

0.43 

0.43 

0.43 

0.43 

0.41 

0.41 

2 

do 

.42 

.43 

.47 

.48 

.53 

.56 

.60 

.64 

.67 

.69 

.72 

.72 

3 

do 

.72 

.74 

.75 

.78 

.78 

.78 

.79 

.79 

.77 

.77 

.72 

.67 

4 

do 

.60 

.55 

.52 

.50 

.50 

.49 

.48 

.45 

.45 

.43 

.41 

.40 

5 

do 

.36 

.34 

.34 

.34 

.34 

.34 

.34 

.34 

.34 

.33 

.31 

.31 

6 

do 

.30 

.30 

.32 

.34 

.36 

.39 

.42 

.46 

.46 

.60 

.66 

.71 

7 

do 

.75 

.78 

.79 

.81 

.84 

.86 

.90 

.92 

.94 

.97 

.99 

1.00 

8 

do 

.99 

.98 

.97 

.98 

1.00 

1.04 

1.06 

1.10 

1.11 

1.15 

1.17 

1.18 

9 

do 

1.17 

1.18 

1.18 

1.25 

1.25 

1.26 

1.26 

1.27 

1.27 

1.28 

1.24 

1.15 

10 

do 

1.12 

1.08 

1.05 

1.04 

1.04 

1.04 

1.04 

1.03 

1.03 

1.01 

1.01 

.97 

11 

do 

.94 

.90 

.88 

.89 

.89 

.90 

.90 

.91 

.91 

.94 

.92 

.88 

12 

do 

.83 

.80 

.76 

.76 

.77 

.78 

.78 

.77 

.76 

.76 

.74 

.68 

13 

do 

.68 

.63 

.60 

.59 

.81 

.62 

.62 

.62 

.62 

.63 

.64 

.61 

14 

do 

.59 

.58 

.57 

.57 

.60 

.62 

.62 

.62 

.62 

.61 

.55 

.45 

15 

do... 

.42 

.34 

.28 

.21 

.17 

.17 

.16 

.16 

.17 

.17 

.17 

.18 

16 

do 

.18 

.17 

.18 

.19 

.21 

.23 

.25 

.26 

.26 

.30 

.31 

.82 

17 

do 

.33 

.35 

.38 

.42 

.46 

.50 

.56 

.60 

.61 

.65 

.63 

.63 

la 

do 

.64 

.64 

.63 

.64 

.64 

.65 

.66 

.63 

.60 

.58 

.51 

.54 

19 

do 

.34 

.27 

.21 

.19 

.17 

.16 

.14 

.13 

.12 

.08 

.06 

.05 

20 

.....do 

.05 

.04 

.06 

.07 

.08 

.11 

.16 

.24 

.26 

.24 

.24 

.25 

21 

do 

.22 

.21 

.20 

.20 

.23 

.26 

.27 

.30 

.32 

.35 

.36 

.37 

22 

do 

.36 

.36 

.36 

.38 

.36 

.36 

.48 

.50 

.53 

.55 

.56 

.56 

23 

do 

.56 

.57 

.58 

.58 

.61 

.64 

.65 

.65 

.69 

.72 

.70 

.65 

24 

do 

.60 

.51 

.48 

.46 

.44 

.42 

.40 

.39 

.39 

.39 

.37 

.36 

25 

do 

.35 

.31 

.29 

.28 

.30 

.32 

.32 

.32 

.36 

.38 

.36 

.35 

26 

do 

.36 

.38 

.41 

.43 

.45 

.47 

.51 

.53 

.56 

.58 

.58 

.57 

27 

do 

.56 

.56 

.56 

.54 

.54 

.53 

.54 

.54 

.56 

.57 

.58 

.62 

28 

do 

.64 

.67 

.69 

.74 

.78 

.81 

.83 

.89 

.91 

.95 

.96 

1.00 

29 

do 

1.01 

1.02 

1.02 

1.07 

1,10 

1.14 

1.17 

1.20 

1.22 

1.26 

1.29 

1.31 

30 

do 

1.31 

1.31 

1.34 

1.36 

1.36 

1.36 

1.36 

1.34 

1.32 

1.26 

1.21 

1.15 

5661—03- 


-38 


300 

Headings  of  the  aneroid  barometer  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak,  Yukon  River,  Alaska- 
Continued. 

MAY,  1900. 


Date. 

Place. 

2h. 

4h. 

6h. 

8h. 

lOh. 

12h. 

14h. 

16h. 

18h. 

20h. 

22h. 

24h. 

1 

Fort  Shoemaker, 

DallRiver,  Alaska 

1.10 

1.03 

0.97 

0.92 

0.84- 

0.80 

0.73 

0.67 

0.62 

0.57 

0.55 

0.53 

2 

do 

.52 

.50 

.49 

.52 

.53 

.54 

.56 

.56 

.55 

.57 

.58 

.58 

3 

do 

.58 

.57 

.56 

.56 

.56 

.56 

.56 

.56 

.56 

.55 

.55 

.53 

4 

do 

.50 

.49 

.48 

.48 

.48 

.50 

.53 

.54 

.58 

.60 

.63 

.65 

5 

do 

.65 

.66 

.67 

.69 

.70 

.72 

.78 

.80 

.83 

.86 

.88 

.86 

6 

do 

.85 

.84 

.84 

[85 

.85 

.85 

.85 

.85 

.90 

.92 

.91 

.89 

7 

do 

.88 

.88 

.88 

.88 

.90 

.90 

.93 

.93 

.94 

.94 

.91 

.88 

8 

do 

.85 

.83 

.83 

.81 

.81 

.81 

.80 

.80 

.77 

.77 

.73 

.69 

9 

do 

.68 

.63 

.60 

.58 

.52 

.57 

.56 

.54 

.52 

.48 

.46 

.42 

10 

do 

.39 

.36 

.32 

.30 

.29 

.28 

.27 

.27 

.28 

.29 

.29 

.28 

11 

do 

.26 

.25 

.25 

.25 

.26 

.28 

.30 

.33 

.35 

.39 

.40 

.40 

12 

do 

.38 

.37 

.36 

.37 

.35 

.36 

.40 

.40 

.42 

.42 

.41 

.41 

13 

do 

.39 

.38 

.36 

.36 

.36 

.38 

.40 

.45 

.49 

.51 

.52 

.53 

14 

do 

.53 

.53 

.53 

.54 

.55 

.57 

.58 

.58 

.57 

.55 

.54 

.51 

15 

do 

.48 

.45 

.43 

.43 

.46 

.46 

.47 

.50 

.49 

.51 

.51 

.52 

16 

do 

.51 

.52 

.51 

.51 

.52 

.53 

.54 

.54 

.54 

.54 

.51 

.47 

17 

do 

.45 

.45 

.46 

.48 

.51 

.53 

.58 

.58 

.60 

.62 

.63 

.61 

18 

do 

.62 

.60 

.59 

.59 

.59 

.59 

.62 

.65 

.66 

.65 

.63 

.60 

19 

do 

.57 

.54 

.54 

.54 

.57 

.61 

•63 

.65 

.57 

.54 

.63 

.60 

20 

do 

.58 

.57 

.57 

.58 

.59 

.60 

.64 

.69 

.70 

.59 

.63 

21 

do 

.64 

.64 

.63 

.64 

.64 

.66 

.67 

.71 

.77 

".'78' 

.77 

.75 

22 

do 

.71 

.73 

.74 

.72 

.72 

.72 

.76 

.84 

.85 

.87 

.86 

.84 

23 

do 

.79 

.73 

.71 

.70 

.70 

.70 

.70 

.69 

.69 

.66 

.64 

.62 

24 

do 

.58 

.55 

.55 

.56 

.55 

.58 

.57 

.56 

.56 

.56 

.57 

.52 

25 

do 

.45 

.44 

.42 

.42 

.41 

.40 

.37 

.37 

.37 

.36 

.32 

.26 

26 
27 

J65C55'N.,L49°18'W. 

f  .25 
\  .34 

.24 
.34 

.22 
.37 

.28 
.37 

.29 
.39 

.30 
.41 

.30 
.44 

.31 
.46 

.32 

.48 

.35 

.48 

.36 
.48 

.35 

.44 

28 

| 

f  .44 

.44 

.47 

.48 

.49 

.51 

.53 

.55 

.57 

.58 

.57 

.57 

29 
30 

i65°40'N.,149°55'W. 

.61 
i  .89 

.61 
.89 

.69 

.88 

.70 

.88 

.73 
.89 

.79 
.92 

.83 
.93 

.85 
.99 

.89 
.96 

.90 

.97 

.90 
.93 

.87 
.92 

31 

1 

[  .90 

.91 

.90 

.88 

.89 

.89 

.88 

.88 

.80 

.78 

.76 

.71 

301 

TEMPERATURES. 

Temperature  ofthe  air  in  shade  observed  onboard  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak  (expressed  in  degrees 
of  Fahrenheit' s  scaU),  Yukon  River,  Alaska. 

SEPTEMBER,  1899. 
[Astronomical  time  used.] 


2h. 

4h. 

6h. 

8h. 

lOh. 

12h. 

Date. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

1 

Rampart  Citv,  65° 

32'N.,150°iO,W.. 

55 

50 

58 

50 

57 

50 

45 

45 

45 

44 

45 

43 

2 

do 

64 
66 

56 

58 

66 
67 

58 
59 

57 
60 

52 

55 

53 
51 

51 

50 

49 

47 

48 
46 

45 
46 

45 

3 

do.. 

45 

4 

65°  40'  N.,  149°  55' 

W 

65 

57 

66 

56 

61 

58 

55 

55 

53 

53 

50 

50 

5 

66°  00' N.,  149°  15' 

W  i 

54 
58 
64 

54 
52 
55 

55 
57 
64 

55 
51 
55 

53 
57 
61 

53 
52 
53 

49 
50 
54 

49 
49 
49 

46 
49 
49 

46 
48 
46 

45 
45 
44 

45 

6 

..do 

44 

7 

Rampart  City 

43 

8 

56 

51 

50 

50 

55 

50 

53 

48 

9 

do 

10 

do 

45 

40 

46 

41 

46 

41 

46 

42 

44 

41 

44 

41 

11 

do 

48 

47 

51 

49 

52 

50 

47 

46 

43 

43 

41 

41 

12 

do 

56 

49 

58 

49 

49 

49 

53 

46 

51 

48 

46 

45 

13 

do 

55 

49 

53 

47 

53 

47 

47 

46 

47 

46 

49 

46 

14 

do 

44 

42 

47 

42 

40 

40 

41 

40 

37 

37 

34 

33 

15 

do 

45 

41 

44 

40 

40 

39 

40 

39 

38 

38 

40 

38 

16 

do 

38 
29 

33 
29 

37 
29 

32 
29 

34 

29 

30 
29 

33 
29 

28 
29 

33 
29 

29 
29 

33 
30 

29 

17 

do 

30 

18 

Coal  mine,  65°  40' 

N.,  149°  55'  W 

31 

31 

32 

31 

32 

32 

33 

33 

34 

34 

34 

34 

19 

do 

39 
32 

37 
32 

39 
32 

32 

37 
33 

35 
33 

34 
33 

33 
33 

33 

33 

31 
33 

31 
33 

31 

20 

do 

33 

21 

Between  coal  mine 

and  Dall  River . . . 

33 

32 

36 

35 

34 

33 

33 

32 

33 

31 

33 

31 

22 

Dall  River,  66°  00' 

N.,  149°  15' W 

38 

34 

37 

34 

35 

33 

33 

32 

32 

31 

26 

32 

23 

do 

39 
37 

34 
33 

39 
37 

35 
34 

28 
37 

32 
32 

24 
32 

27 
32 

24 
32 

24 
31 

23 
31 

23 

24 

do 

31 

25 

do 

37 

35 

36 

34 

33 

33 

32 

32 

31 

31 

32 

32 

26 

do 

36 

36 

36 

36 

34 

34 

32 

32 

30 

30 

30 

30 

27 

do 

34 

34 

34 

34 

33 

33 

34 

34 

33 

33 

33 

33 

28 

do 

34 

34 

32 

32 

31 

31 

30 

29 

28 

28 

28 

28 

29 

do 

29 

28 

28 

28 

22 

23 

19 

19 

18 

18 

18 

18 

30 

do 

32 

31 

31 

30 

23 

30 

18 

25 

15 

25 

13 

24 

Place. 


14h. 


16h. 


Dry.    Wet.!  Dry.    Wet 


18h. 


20h. 


Dry.    Wet.     Dry.    Wet. 


22h. 


Dry.    Wet. 


24h. 


Dry.    Wet. 


24 

25 
28 

27 
28 
29 
30 


Rampart  Citv,  65° 

32'N.,150°10'W.. 

....do 

....do 

65°  40'  N.,  149°  55' 

W 

66°  00'  N.,  149°  15' 

W 

....do 

Rampart  City 

do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

do 

....do 

....do 

do 

Coal  mine,  65°  40' 

N.,  149° 55' W.... 

do 

do 

Between  coal  mine 

and  Dall  River... 
Dall  River,  66°  00' 

N.,  119°  15' W.... 
do 


.do. 
.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do, 
.do. 
.do. 


44 
41 
45 

47 

45 
-14 
48 


•jo 

20 

17 



22 

22 

88 

33 

32 

32 

32 

32 

27 
« 

27 

32 

32 

80 

29 

34 

33 

28 

28 

18 

14 

•_'3 

& 

10 


26 


43 


3-2 


302 

Temperature  of  the  air  in  shade  observed  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak  (expressed  in  degrees 
of  Fahrenheit1  s  scale) ,  Yukon  River,  Alaska — Continued. 

OCTOBER,  1899. 


Date. 

Place. 

2h. 

41, 

6h. 

8h. 

lOh. 

12h. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

1 

Dall  River 

31 
29 
26 
24 
29 
34 
31 
31 
32 
35 
30 
30 
28 
26 
19 
24 
14 
11 
2 
4 
9 
11 
12 
18 
20 
19 
27 
26 
22 
21 
12 

30 
29 
26 
24 
29 
33 
30 
31 
32 
35 
30 
30 
28 
26 

"'26' 

"'27' 
26 
23 
21 

29 
29 
25 
24 
29 
31 
30 
30 
37 
34 
30 
30 
28 
24 
19 
24 
11 
8 
2 
4 
8 
10 
11 
18 
20 
19 
28 
20 
19 
24 
12 

28 
29 
25 
24 
29 
30 
30 
30 
36 
33 
30 
30 
30 
24 

"'24' 

"'26' 

"'28' 
22 
19 
24 

23 
27 
23 
26 
27 
26 
28 
28 
27 
31 
28 
28 
29 
18 
19 
22 
2 
1 
1 
3 
7 
10 
11 
17 
11 
18 
28 
18 
17 
24 
12 

23 
27 
33 
26 
28 
26 
28 
29 
29 
33 
28 
29 
31 

""'24" 

'""'28* 
'"'24" 

22 
27 
23 
26 
27 
27 
23 
27 
23 
29 
27 
29 
29 
22 
18 
22 

-  3 

-  5 
2 
4 
6 
9 

12 
17 
5 
18 
28 
10 
16 
18 
12 

22 

27 
23 
26 

28 
27 
23 

27 
24 
31 

27 

28 

29 

•  22 

'"22" 

"'28* 

22 
27 
21 
25 
23 
26 
16 
27 
21 
27 
25 
28 
29 
24 
18 
22 

-  5 

-  6 
2 
4 
5 
9 

12 
16 
4 
15 
28 
18 
16 
14 
12 

22 
27 
21 
25 
23 
26 

"*27" 
22 
27 
25 
28 
29 
24 

'  22' 

' ' *28' 

22 
27 
20 
25 
22 
23 
15 
18 
24 
26 
25 
28 
27 
22 
18 
15 

-  5 

-  7 

-  1 
5 
5 
8 

12 
16 

2 
12 
24 
17 
16 

5 

11 

22 

2 

do. 

27 

3 

do 

20 

4 

do 

25 
22 

5 

do... 

6 

do 

21 

do 

8 

do 

9 

do 

23 

10 

do 

26 

11 

do 

25 

12 

do 

28 

13 

do... 

27 

14 

do 

22 

15 

do 

16 

do 

17 

do 

18 

do 

19 

do 

20 

do  ... 

21 

do... 

22 

do 

23 

do 

24 

do 

25 

do 

26 

do 

27 

do... 

24 

28 

do 

29 

do... 

30 

do 

31 

do 

Date. 

Place. 

14h. 

16 

h. 

1811. 

20h. 

22h. 

24h. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

1 

Dall  River 

20 
21 
21 
26 
21 
21 
14 
23 
23 
26 
23 
27 
27 
0 
17 
9 
1 

-  5 
0 
5 
5 
7 

13 
15 

-  2 
10 
18 
18 
16 

A 

20 
21 
21 
26 
21 
20 

"""23" 
23 
26 
23 

27 
27 

20 

20 

21 

26 

21 

23 

12 

19 

23 

26 

23 

28 

■  28 

0 

17 

0 

2 

-  2 
0 
4 
3 
8 

14 
15 

-  2 
18 
22 
20 
15 

3 
1 

20 
20 
21 
26 
21 
23 

""23" 
26 
23 

28 
28 

"'22' 

22 
18 
21 
26 
21 
22 
8 
20 
20 
27 
24 
26 
26 
12 
18 
4 
0 

-  1 
0 
1 
5 
8 

15 
15 

-  2 
17 
25 

22 
18 
21 
26 
21 
22 

"'26' 
20 
27 
24 
26 
26 

""25" 

25 

18 

21 

25 

25 

21 

11 

21 

17 

28 

24 

27. 

24 

14 

21 

1 

0 

-  1 

0 

4 

6 

7 

14 
17 
3 
22 
20 
18 
17 
0 
17 

25 

'"21 
26 
25 
21 

"'28' 
24 
27 
24 

'"2Y 

"22" 
20 

27 

21 

22 

27 

31 

26 

20 

24 

28 

28 

24 

28 

26 

17 

24 

6 

5 

0 

1 

7 

8 

5 

16 

19 

7 

26 

26 

21 

15 

4 

16 

27 
21 
22 
28 
31 
26 
20 
24 
30 
28 
25 
28 
26 

"'24' 

'"26" 
26 
21 

28 
23 
23 
28 
33 
33 
31 
24 
35 
28 
30 
28 
27 
19 
24 
11 
*  8 
0 
2 
10 
9 
10 
17 
20 
14 
28 
28 
22 
18 

28 

2 

do 

23 

3 

do 

23 

4 

do 

29 

5 

do 

33 

6 

do 

31 

7 

do 

31 

8 

do  

24 

9 

do 

34 

10 

....do 

28 

11 

do 

29 

12 

do 

29 

13 

do 

27 

14 

do 

15 

...do.... 

24 

16 

....do 

17 

do 

18 

do 

19 
20 

do 

do 

21 
22 

do 

do 

23 

do 

24 

do 

25 

do 

26 

do 

28 

27 

do 

28 

28 

do 

20  j 

15  l 

3  

12  

22 

29 

do 

30 

do 

11  

31 

do... 

15  

303 

Temperature  of  the  air  in  shade  observed  on  hoard  the  U.  S.  8.  Nunivak  {expressed  in  degrees 
of  Fahrenheit' s  scale) ,  Yukon  River,  Alaska. 

NOVEMBER,  1899. 
[Astronomical  time  used.] 


Date. 


Place. 


2h. 


-ih. 


6h.       8h.    i  lOh. 


12h. 


14h.     16h 


18h.     20h. 


22h.  !  24h. 


Fort    Shoemaker, 
DallRiver,  Alaska 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

....do 

do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 


15 

-  2 
-19 

-  6 
-24 
-22 
-16 

-  2 
-21 
-32 
-27 
-18 
-22 
-28 

-  9 

-  4 
5 
3 
2 
4 
0 
2 
7 
5 
3 

12 
9 
5 

10 
1 


12 
-  9 
-23 
-18 
-26 
-25 
-15 
0 
-25 


-32  i  -I 


-31 
-21 
-22 
-31 
-10 

-  3 
4 
0 
2 
3 

-  1 
4 
9 


12 


14 

-  1 
-24 
-24 
-27 
-25 

-  9 

-  4 
-27 
-35 
-30 
-21 
-26 
-31 
-11 

-  2 
5 

-  2 
3 
3 

-  1 
4 


DECEMBER,  1899. 


1 

Fort    Shoemaker, 

Dall  River,  Alaska 

-12 

-19 

-20 

-16 

-17 

-20 

-15 

-  8 

-  3 

-   7 

-11 

-  9 

2 

do 

—  9 

-  5 

-  5 

-  4 

-  3 

-  7 

-  9 

-  9 

-10 

-11 

-  5 

-  6 

3 

do 

-11 

-15 

-  7 

-  6 

5 

-  1 

4 

7 

8 

13 

15 

15 

4 

do 

14 

13 

11 

9 

9 

8 

7 

7 

6 

5 

5 

6 

5 

do 

5 

5 

3 

2 

0 

3 

0 

-  3 

—  8 

—  6 

-  3 

—  2 

6 

do 

-  2 

-  2 

-  2 

-  1 

-  1 

-  3 

-  2 

-  2 

-  2 

-  2 

-3 

-  8 

7 

do 

-  8 

-  3 

-  3 

-  4 

-  3 

-  2 

o 

-  2 

-  2 

0 

-  1 

-  1 

8 

do 

-  1 

-  1 

0 
-  1 

0 
-  1 

0 
0 

0 
1 

0 
1 

1 

2 

-  4 
2 

-  3 
3 

-  1 
4 

-  1 
4 

2 

9 

do 

1 

10 

do 

-  9 

-16 

-19 

-21 

-10 

-  8 

-  6 

-  5 

-  5 

-16 

-24 

-25 

11 

do 

-27 

-32 

-34 

-35 

-36 

-37 

-37 

-38 

-36 

-27 

-25 

-23 

12 

do 

-27 

-18 

-18 

-17 

-25 

-27 

-29 

-27 

-27 

-24 

-21 

-18 

13 

do.. 

-13 

-12 

-13 

-14 

-12 

-11 

-10 

-10 

-14 

-11 

-12 

9 

14 

..  ..do 

-  7 

—  4 

0 

0 

20 

17 

18 

20 

19 

10 

-  3 

14 

11 

14 

15 

do 

16 

16 

14 

11 

9 

8 

2 

10 

12 

13 

11 

16 

do 

9 

3 

5 

2 

-  3 

-11 

0 

0 

-   5 

-14 

-13 

17 

do 

-15 

-21 

-25 

-31 

-31 

-17 

-13 

-20 

-20 

-33 

-35 

-25 

18 

do 

-22 

-24 

-29 

-30 

-30 

-32 

-32 

-31 

-30 

-30 

-32 

-35 

19 

do 

-35 

-36 

-39 

-36 

-40 

-40 

-42 

-39 

-41 

-40 

-36 

-33 

20 

do 

-29 

-28 

-28 

-34 

-33 

-26 

-25 

-33 

-37 

-32 

-33 

-32 

21 

do 

-36 

-41 

-44 

-46 

-48 

-50 

-51 

-47 

-47 

-47 

-48 

-52 

22 

do 

-53 

-55 

-56 

-56 

-56 

-56 

-57 

-57 

-57 

-57 

-56 

-51 

23 

do 

-57 

-57 

-56 

—57 

-56 

-56- 

-56 

-56 

-55 

-54 

-54 

-53 

24 

do 

-53 

-52 

-52 

-52 

-52 

-50 

-51 

-49 

-49 

-48 

-48 

-45 

25 

do 

-43 

-41 

-40 

-39 

-42 

-44 

-43 

-45 

-45 

-44 

-44 

-43 

26 

do 

-42 

-43 

-42 

-41 

-39 

-36 

-36 

-36 

-37 

-38 

-37 

-36 

27 

do 

-36 

-37 

-38 

-36 

-34 

-32 

-30 

-29 

-28 

—28 

-29 

-25 

28 

do 

-23 

-25 

-32 

-35 

-38 

-39 

-31 

-29 

-27 

-25 

-27 

-24 

29 

do 

-24 

-24 

-27 

-34 

-35 

-37 

-38 

-38 

-39 

-36 

-40 

-40 

30 

do 

-38 

-43 

-43 

-41 

-42 

-42 

-35 

-34 

-35 

-37 

-39 

-39 

31 

do 

-40 

-41 

-42 

-41 

-43 

-43 

-43 

-43 

-42 

-42 

-42 

-39 

304 


Temperature  of  the  air  in  shade  observed  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak 

of  Fahrenheit7 s  scale),  Yukon  River,  Alaska — Continued. 


in  degrees 


JANUARY,  1900. 


Date. 

Place. 

2h. 

4h. 

6h. 

8h. 

lOh. 

12h. 

14h. 

16h. 

18h. 

20h. 

22h. 

24h. 

1 

Fort    Shoemaker, 

Dall  River,Alaska 

-40 

-40 

-40 

-39 

-39 

-39 

-38 

-37 

—37 

-37 

-37 

-36 

2 

do 

-34 

-35 

-36 

-36 

-36 

L  -37 

-37 

-36 

-34 

-34 

-34 

-33 

3 

do 

-34 

-35 

-33 

-33 

-32 

r  -31 

-28 

-28 

-25 

-24 

-22 

-21 

4 

do 

-21 

-19 

-18 

-17 

-16 

-14 

-12 

-22 

-29 

-31 

-30 

-32 

5 

do 

-34 

-38 

-38 

-40 

-41 

-41 

-40 

-41 

-39 

-41 

-41 

-39 

6 

do 

-39 

-39 

-41 

-41 

-42 

-43 

-43 

-42 

-43 

-43 

-43 

-40 

7 

do 

-40 

-41 

-43 

-43 

-45 

-46 

-46 

-47 

-47 

-47 

-47 

-44 

8 

do 

-43 

-44 

-43 

-44 

-44 

-44 

-44 

-32 

-26 

-26 

-29 

-13 

9 

do 

-12 

-11 

-11 

-12 

-11 

-11 

-11 

-11 

-10 

-11 

-11 

-11 

10 

do 

-11 

-11 

-11 

-15 

-14 

-14 

-14 

-14 

-14 

-10 

-  8 

-11 

11 

do 

-13 

-12 

-12 

-12 

-  13 

-23 

-30 

-34 

-35 

—36 

-37 

-35 

12 

do..„ 

-37 

-38 

-39 

-40 

-42 

-44 

-45 

-40 

-40 

-47 

-47 

-46 

13 

do 

-43 

-47 

-49 

-50 

-51 

-52 

-54 

-54 

-54 

-54 

-53 

-50 

14 

do 

-47 

-50 

-51 

-53 

-53 

-53 

-53 

-53 

-53 

-54 

-55 

-52 

15 

do 

-50 

-54 

-56 

-57 

-57 

-58 

-60 

-60 

-60 

-58 

-58 

-51 

16 

do 

-56 

-57 

-57 

-57 

-57 

-58 

-58 

-58 

-58 

-58 

-58 

-54 

17 

do 

-53 

-56 

-56 

-57 

-58 

-57 

-58 

—57 

-57 

-58 

-58 

-55 

18 

do 

-52 

-58 

-58 

-59 

-60 

-60 

-60 

-62 

-60 

-63 

-62 

-59 

19 

do 

-56 

-51 

-40 

-37 

-34 

-31 

-27 

-27 

-24 

-22 

-22 

-20 

20 

do 

-16 

-16 

-16 

-16 

-16 

-16 

-17 

-23 

-24 

-27 

-22 

•20 

21 

do 

-26 

-34 

-37 

-37 

-29 

-24 

-28 

-25 

-29 

-33 

-27 

-20 

22 

do 

-18 

-17 

-17 

-16 

-16 

-16 

-16 

-16 

-17 

-17 

-18 

-19 

23 

do 

-20 

-21 

-22 

-24 

-24 

-24 

-22 

-21 

-20 

-21 

-22 

-22 

24 

do 

-23 

-27 

-22 

-25 

-25 

-27 

-28 

-32 

-28 

-30 

-38 

-38 

25 

do 

-32 

-38 

-42 

-47 

-48 

-49 

-50 

-50 

-48 

-48 

-48 

-42 

26 

do 

-39 

-40 

-42 

-42 

-43 

-41 

-40 

-35 

-31 

-27 

-26 

-24 

27 

do 

-20 

-19 

-18 

-18 

-17 

-17 

-24 

-25 

-19 

-19 

-18 

-15 

28 

do 

-14 

-12 

-11 

-  9 

-  8 

-  8 

-10 

-  9 

-  9 

-  9 

-  9 

-  9 

29 

do 

-  6 

-  4 

-  2 

-  1 

-  2 

-  2 

-  4 

-  3 

-  8 

-  5 

-  5 

-  1 

30 

do 

1 

0 

0 

0 

2 

-  2 

-10 

-14 

-17 

-20 

-19 

-17 

31 

do 

-14 

-15 

-15 

-12 

-11 

-10 

-  9 

-  9 

-  9 

-  9 

-'7 

-  5 

FEBRUARY,  1900. 


Fort    Shoemaker, 
Dall  River,  Alaska 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

. . .  .do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

. . . .do 

....do 

....do 

....do 


-  4 

-  5 

-  7 

-11 

-13 

-n 

-14 

-20 

-22 

-25 

-23 

-12 

-21 

-25 

-27 

-30 

-30 

-34 

-34 

-34 

-34 

-28 

-18 

-20 

-26 

-26 

-36 

-23 

-10 

-  7 

-  4 

-  3 

-  2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

-  2 

-  4 

3 

-  1 

2 

3 

5 

10 

2 

-  5 

-12 

-12 

-16 

-19 

-15 

-  8 

-  4 

-  1 

1 

1 

1 

0 

1 

2 

2 

1 

-  2 

-  5 

-  7 

-  5 

-  6 

-  4 

-  4 

-13 

-17 

-17 

-15 

-12 

-15 

-16 

-  4 

0 

-  4 

-  6 

-  1 

0 

0 

1 

-  3 

-  2 

1 

4 

4 

4 

0 

-  1 

0 

-  4 

-  2 

-  2 

-  2 

0 

4 

6 

-  3 

-  2 

-  9 

-  6 

-  2 

-  8 

-  3 

0 

1 

5 

5 

4 

0 

-  1 

-  4 

-  2 

0 

1 

2 

3 

8 

8 

7 

6 

0 

6 

6 

5 

5 

4 

5 

6 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

3 

3 

2 

4 

5 

10 

9 

10 

9 

8 

-  2 

-  8 

-12 

-15 

-15 

-13 

3 

-  5 

-12 

-17 

-20 

-21 

-20 

-22 

-21 

-21 

-18 

-  4 

-12 

-  1 

-  3 

-  5 

-  7 

-  9 

-10 

-12 

-12 

-10 

-  5 

-  9 

-21 

-22 

-27 

-29 

-31 

-32 

-34 

-33 

-23 

-10 

-  9 

-  9 

-23 

-25 

-26 

-28 

-27 

-26 

-30 

=19 

11 

1 

-10 

-  7 

-17 

-27 

-31 

-35 

-37 

-38 

-15 

-10 

-13 

-28 

-30 

-35 

-36 

-40 

-44 

-47 

-47 

-36 

-19 

-29 

-34 

-40 

-43 

-45 

-47 

-48 

-48 

-40 

-30 

-21 

-19 

-18 

-15 

-11 

-10 

-11 

-12 

-10 

-11 

-  3 

0 

0 

-  4 

-15 

-20 

-18 

-20 

-22 

-23 

-22 

-  9 

5 

3 

-  9 

-16 

-13 

-16 

-21 

-23 

-26 

-22 

-20 

-  1 

-  4 

-15 

-23 

-27 

-29 

-32 

-35 

-36 

-36 

-22 

-  3 

-  5 

-19 

-25 

-25 

-32 

-35 

-36 

-36 

-35 

-22 

-10 

-15 

-19 

-21 

-30 

-27 

-32 

-35 

-35 

-34 

-19 

-  3 

-  6 

—15 

—23 

-29 

-32 

—34 

-35 

—35 

—34 

-17 

305 

Temperature  of  the  air  in  shade  observed  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak  {expressed  in  degrees 
of  Fahrenheit's  scale),  Yukon  River,  Alaska — Continued. 

MARCH,  1900. 


Date. 


in 
11 
12 
18 

14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 


Place. 


Fort    Shoemaker, 
Dall  River,  Alaska 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

.  ..do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do.. 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 


2b. 


-  3 
20 

4 

10 

5 

1 

-  7 

-  5 


—  o 

0 
2 
20 
37 
42 
47 
46 
42 
45 
40 
33 
23 
22 
15 
15 
19 
27 
20 
13 
23 


4h. 


-  5 

-  3 

-  5 

-  2 
0 
3 

25 
37 
42 
46 
45 
40 
43 
40 
30 
23 
23 
16 
15 
19 


6h. 


h. 

lOh. 

-22 

-25 

-  6 

-10 

-lfi 

-20 

14 

-20 

0 

-  7 

22 

—A 

31 

-36 

-27 

-33 

-27 

-30 

23 

-26 

-24 

-29 

-18 

-24 

5 

4 

8 

8 

22 

17 

27 

29 

28 

19 

26 

19 

31 

27 

24 

20 

27 

21 

27 

25 

18 

14 

21 

16 

IS 

12 

14 

14 

19 

18 

15 

7 

i<; 

11 

15 

14 

23 

21 

Hi. 

16h. 

18h. 

31 

-27 

-  6 

17 

-21 

-24 

24 

-26 

-27 

25 

-25 

-25 

18 

-22 

-24 

06 

-30 

-41 

42 

-43 

-45 

89 

-41 

-42 

34 

-37 

-39 

35 

-30 

-42 

36 

-39 

-39 

20 

-22 

-17 

5 

5 

4 

3 

5 

11 

15 

21 

19 

24 

19 

16 

18 

10 

7 

11 

9 

6 

21 

22 

21 

14 

15 

17 

13 

15 

19 

15 

10 

6 

11 

10 

11 

7 

0 

5 

2 

-  4 

-  5 

14 

11 

11 

14 

10 

5 

10 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

9 

2 

-  2 

21 

20 

20 

20h. 


22h. 


24h. 


-  7 
-11 

-  5 

-  i 
-22 
-Ml 
-■Jl 
-11 
-19 
-21 

-  2 
12 
23; 
■29 
30 


17 

-  3 

-  1 
3 

-  1 
-12 
-13 
-13 

-  9 
-11 

-  8 

-  1 
12 
32 
35 
43 
41 
38 
41 
35 
31 
20 
19 
15 
13 
18 
22 
27 
18 
20 
23 


APRIL,  1900. 


Fort    Shoemaker, 
Dall  River,  Alaska 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

10    do 

11   do 

12   do 

13  I do 

14  I do 

15   do 

16  i do 

....do 

....do 

...  do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

24   do 

25    do 

26    do 

27    do 

28    do 

29    do 

30    do 


25 

27 

26 

19 

13 

17 

18 

16 

13 

15 

16 

15 

15 

14 

13 

11 

10 

10 

10 

5 

10 

14 

20 

17 

13 

2 

-10 

-18 

-19 

-24 

-14 

-  5 

5 

13 

13 

10 

5 

2 

0 

-  2 

-  2 

-  2 

-  1 

1 

7 

8 

6 

5 

5 

5 

3 

4 

5 

6 

8 

13 

14 

13 

10 

10 

10 

8 

6 

6 

4 

16 

14 

15 

15 

-  1 

-12 

-14 

-15 

-19 

-14 

9 

12 

22 

23 

22 

17 

10 

4 

1 

2 

8 

15 

23 

31 

32 

32 

16 

12 

7 

3 

0 

2 

24 

32 

44 

45 

43 

28 

20 

17 

11 

9 

9 

21 

34 

43 

46 

43 

31 

22 

16 

11 

8 

10 

28 

37 

46 

48 

46 

43 

39 

34 

30 

24 

26 

34 

37 

43 

44 

44 

38 

34 

23 

18 

14 

21 

32 

38 

44 

44 

43 

38 

34 

34 

35 

35 

35 

41 

47 

48 

45 

42 

39 

37 

36 

34 

34 

34 

37 

39 

48 

47 

43 

33 

32 

34 

33 

32 

35 

41 

43 

44 

43 

42 

38 

36 

84 

30 

28 

28 

34 

37 

40 

38 

37 

31 

28 

22 

18 

15 

22 

28 

35 

37 

40 

36 

35 

32 

30 

29 

28 

28 

33 

34 

36 

37 

36 

35 

34 

33 

30 

26 

24 

25 

27 

32 

31 

30 

29 

27 

24 

23 

20 

19 

21 

25 

28 

29 

30 

29 

28 

28 

19 

19 

20 

25 

31 

31 

31 

29 

29 

29 

28 

21 

20 

22 

25 

26 

33 
41 

34 
43 

32 
43 

30 
35 

29 
29 

29 

28 

29 
27 

28 
26 

27 
31 

28 
38 

36 
40 

49 

45 

46 

39 

29 

26 

24 

21 

28 

38 

45 

50 

48 

46 

39 

31 

28 

25 

27 

34 

39 

41 

48 

48 

45 

42 

36 

34 

38 

34 

33 

35 

37 

39 

38 

37 

34 

38 

32 

31 

31 

33 

36 

36 

39 

40 

40 

37 

28 

29 

22 

20 

27 

35 

41 

306 

Temperature  of  the  air  in  shade  observed  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak  {expressed  in  degrees 
of  Fahrenheit' s  scale) ,  Yukon  River,  Alaska — Continued. 

MAY,  1900. 


Date. 


Place. 


Fort    Shoemaker, 

Dall  River,  Alaska 

do 


do... 

do.... 

do... 

do... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

do... 

1 65°  55'  N  . , 
[149°  18' W 


65°40'N.. 
149°  55'  W 


2h.       4h.    ]    6h. 


St. 


44 

43 

41 

37 

37 

33 

37 

38 

36 

44 

43 

39 

46 

46 

41 

44 

43 

41 

43 

42 

41 

42 

40 

37 

41 

43 

40 

47 

49 

45 

56 

55 

48 

61 

63 

59 

56 

56 

51 

52 

52 

49 

56 

56 

43 

43 

47 

47 

50 

49 

46 

50 

52 

45 

60 

57 

55 

62 

63 

61 

65 

59 

56 

53 

56 

56 

49 

49 

46 

46 

46 

45 

42 

44 

43 

47 

47 

41 

51 

43 

42 

53 

49 

46 

38 

40 

39 

52 

48 

48 

58 

63 

59 

)h. 

12h. 

14h. 

16h. 

18h. 

20h. 

37 

35 

32 

31 

31 

32 

m 

30 

30 

30 

31 

33 

27 

24 

25 

26 

30 

33 

35 

36 

33 

34 

34 

37 

30 

26 

27 

29 

30 

34 

80 

27 

26 

27 

29 

34 

35 

33 

30 

29 

31 

34 

33 

30 

27 

26 

28 

30 

:S7 

35 

32 

30 

33 

33 

38 

35 

28 

30 

38 

44 

48 

32 

29 

29 

40 

53 

40 

32 

39 

39 

39 

44 

35 

32 

38 

37 

38 

40 

41 

37 

36 

34 

36 

37 

42 

41 

38 

35 

35 

36 

42 

36 

34 

34 

37 

41 

51 

42 

39 

36 

36 

36 

39 

33 

31 

35 

37 

42 

45 

42 

35 

39 

43 

48 

50 

38 

37 

42 

46 

44 

42 

44 

42 

41 

43 

48 

46 

41 

34 

34 

32 

44 

40 

36 

34 

35 

39 

40 

38 

35 

33 

34 

33 

36 

31 

33 

32 

34 

36 

86 

35 

34 

34 

34 

37 

89 

34 

34 

33 

40 

39 

45 

43 

42 

43 

44 

43 

37 

36 

34 

88 

35 

39 

47 

42 

39 

38 

45 

53 

49 

43 

39 

40 

47 

61 

22h. 


24h. 


307 

MAXIMUM  AND  MINIMUM  TEMPERATURES,  PRECIPITATION,  AND 
MISCELLANEOUS  PHENOMENA. 

Meteorological  record  for  September,  1899. 

Station,  Yukon  River,  Alaska.    Rampart  City  (latitude,  65°  32  N.,  longitude  150°  10'  W.)  to  Dall 
River  (latitude  66°  00'  N.,  longitude  149°  15'  W).     Astronomical  time  used. 


Temperature. 

Precipitation. 

Date. 

Maxi- 
mum. 

Mini- 
mum. 

Range. 

Time  Time 

Mean    i  of  be~      of 
Mean.  ;  ^      end 

ning.a  ing.a 

Amount.^ 

Depth  of 
snow  on 
ground  at 
time  of 
observa- 
tion. 

Miscellaneous  phe- 
nomena. 

1 

63 
68 
70 

68 
58 
65 
65 

43 
36 
44 
40 
42 
35 
44 

20 
32 
26 
28 
16 
30 
21 

53 
52 

0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.02 
T. 
0.00 
0.04 

0.03 

T. 
0.06 
0.05 

T. 
0.08 
0.05 
0.01 
0.25 

T. 
0.08 
0.01 
0.09 

T. 
0.00 
0.00 

2 

Do. 

3 

57 
54 
50 

Do. 

4 

6 

50 
54.5 



!-,-— 

7 

8c 

display. 

9f 

io 

48 
57 
58 
56 
48 
46 
40 
34 
39 
40 
36 
39 
40 
41 
39 
38 
38 
37 
37 
29 
35 

39 
40 
35 
40 
32 
33 
22 
26 
28 
28 
31 
26 
16 
13 
22 
29 
31 
31 
19 
6 
7 

9 

17 

23 

16 

16 

13 

18 

8 

11 

12 

5 

13 

24 

28 

17 

9 

7 

6 

18 

23 

28 

43.5    

n 

48.5 

46.5 

48 

40 

39.5 

31 

30 

33.5 

34 

33.5 

32.5 

28 

27 

30.5 

33.5 

34.5 

34 

28 

17.5 

21 

12 

Do. 

13 

14 

Do. 

15 

16 

2.5 
2.5 
3.3 
3.3 
4.2 
4.0 
3.8 
3.5 
3.2 
3.9 
4.9 
4.8 
4.6 
4.5 
4.3 

Do. 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21... 

22 

23 

24 

0.00 
0.07 
0.16 
0.01 
T. 
0.00 
000 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

Do. 

Sum . . . 

1.01 

Mean.. 

«  See  weather  report. 

b  Including  rain,  hail,  sleet,  and  melted  snow. 

c  Painting  and  fitting  shelter  for  thermometers. 


MONTHLY  SUMMARY. 


Temperature. — Maximum  70°;  date,  September  3;  minimum,  6°;  date,  September  29. 

Precipitation. — Total.  1.01  inches;  greatest  in  twenty-four  hours,  0.25;  date,  September  16. 

Number  of  days  with  0.01  inch  or  more  precipitation,  15.     (See  weather  report.) 

Remarks.— Vessel  under  way  4th,  5th,  and  6th,  and  between  18th  and  21st.  Observations  in  precipi- 
tation probably  inaccurate  during  these  periods.  All  observations  made  at  noon  for  the  twenty-four 
hours  preceding. 


308 


Meteorological  record  for  month  of  October,  1899. 


Station,  Yukon  River,  Alaska;  winter  quarters,  Fort  ShoemaKer,  Dall  River,  A±aska.    Latitude 
66°  00' N.;  longitude,  149°  15'  W.    Astronomical  time  used. 


Temperature. 

Precipitation. 

Date. 

Maxi- 
mum. 

St  Ran*e- 

Mean. 

Time 
of  be- 
gin- 
nings 

Time 

of 
end- 
ings 

Amount.** 

Depth  of 
snow  on 
ground  at 
time  of 
observa- 
tion. 

Miscellaneous  phe- 
nomena. 

1 

33 
29 
28 
29 
33 
34 
32 
?4 
39 
37 
31 
34 
31 
27 
24 
25 
17 
15 
4 
12 
13 
11 
18 
20 
21 
28 
29 
34 
24 
20 
17 

20  1          13 
17             12 
20              8 
23               6 

17  |          16 
20             14 

7             25 

18  16 

16  23 
22             15 

17  14 
25  ■            9 
22  i            9 

0            27 
16  I            8 

-  1             26 

-  5            22 

-  7  '          22 

-  2            e> 

1 
26.5    .- 

T. 

T. 
0.01 
0.05 
0.02 
0.00 
0.00 
0.03 
0.00 

T. 
0.00 
0.18 
0.23 

T. 

T. 

T. 
0.00 

T. 

T. 
0.02 
0.03 
0.05 
0.10 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.03 
0.00 
0.01 
0.02 
0.16 

4.3 
4.4 
4.4 
4.9 
5.1 
5.1 
4.9 
5.2 
5.0 
5.3 
5.3 
7.1 
9.4 
9.3 
9.0 
9.0 
9.0 
9.1 
9.1 
9.3 
9.7 
10.2 
11.5 
11.2 
11.2 
10.7 
11.0 
10.7 
10.8 
11.0 
12.6 

2 

23 

3 

24 
26 
25 
27 

19.5 
26 

27.5 
29.5 
24 
29.5 
26.5 
13.5 
20 
12 
6 

I 

6 

8 

8.5 
14 
17.5 

9.5 
18 

23.5 
20 
19 

9.5 
13.5 

4 

5 

6... 

7... 

Do. 

8... 

9... 

Do. 

10... 

11 

12 

13 

14 

Do. 

15 

16 

17 

Heavy  frost. 

18 

Do. 

19... 

20 

0 
3 

6 

10 
15 

-  2 
8 

18 
6 
14 

-  1 
10 

12 

10 

5 

8 

5 

23 

20 

11 

28 

10 

21 

7 

21 

22 

23... 

24 

25 

Aurora. 

26 

Do. 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31... 

i 

783 
25.2 

332 
10.7 

557. 5 
17.9 

i 

0.94 

Mean.. 

I 

a  See  weather  report. 


l>  Including  rain,  hail,  sleet,  and  melted  snow. 


MONTHLY  SUMMARY. 


Temperature. — Mean  maximum,  25.2°;  mean  minimum,  10.7°;  mean,  17.9°;  maximum,  39°;  date, 
October  9;  minimum,  —7°;  date  October  18. 

Precipitation.— Total,  0.94  inch;  greatest  in  twenty-four  hours,  0.23:  date,  October  13;  total  snow  on 
ground  October  15,  9  inches. 

Number  of  days  with  0.01  inch  or  more  precipitation,  14.     (See  weather  report.) 

Dates  of  killing  frost,  October  17  and  18. 

Remarks. — Dall  River  closed  with  smooth  ice  from  3  to  4  inches  thick  October  1. 


309 

Meteorological  record  for  month  of  November,  1899. 

Station,  Yukon  River.  Alaska;  winter  quarters,  Dall  River,  Alaska.     Latitude  66°  00'  X.:  longitude 
149°  15'  W.     Astronomical  time  used. 


Temperature. 


Precipitation. 


Depth  of 
Time  snow  on 

of      Amount.*  S^** 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

Sum  . . . 
Mean  . . 


-18 

-     31 

13 

-10  | 

-    22 

12 

-  8 

-     28 

20 

-12 

-     32 

20 

time  of  I 

observa- ' 

tion. 


Miscellaneous  phe- 
nomena. 


0.18 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.03 
0.00 
0.00 


0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 


0.00 
0.00 

O.uO 
0.00 

T. 
T. 
T. 

T. 

T. 

T. 
0.00 
0.02 

T. 

T. 
0.02 

T. 


-120 
-     4.0 


0.25 


14.4 
14.1 
14.0 
13.8 
13.8 
13.7 
13.7 
13.9 
13.8 
13.8 


13.8 
13.7 
13.7 
13.6 


13.4 
13.3 

13.3 
13.3 

13.3 
13.3 
13.3 

13.3 
13.3 
13.4 
13.4 
13.5 
13.5 
13.5 
13.9 
13.9 


Aurora. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 


Do. 
Parhelia  in  same  alti- 
tude as  sun;  aurora 
at  night. 
Aurora. 
Do. 
Do. 
Parhelia  in  same  alti- 
tude: aurora. 
fParaselense  same  alti- 
tude and  above  and 
below    moon;     au- 
rora:   parhelia     at 
[    23.30  hours. 

11.30  h;  lunar  halo;  22 
h  parhelia. 


Aurora; 

halo. 

Aurora. 


Do. 
Do. 


13.30  h  lunar 


Do. 


«  See  weather  report. 


b Including  rain,   hail,  sleet,  and  melted  snow. 


MONTHLY    SUMMARY. 


Temperature. — Mean  maximum,  2.°8;  mean  minimum,  —10.6°;  mean,  —4.0°;  maximum,  19°;  date 
November  2;  minimum,  —35°;  date,  November  10. 

Precipitation. — Total,  0.25  inch:  greatest  in  twenty-four  hours,  0.18;  date,  November  1;  total  snow 
on  ground  November  15,  13.4  inches. 

Number  of  days  with  0.01  inch  or  more  precipitation,  4.     (See  weather  report.) 

Remarks. — Yukon  River  closed  in  this  vicinity  between  November  8  and  10. 


310 

Meteorological  record  for  month  of  December,  1899. 


Station,  Yukon  River,  Alaska;  winter  quarters,  Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall  River,  Alaska. 
00'  N.;  longitude  149°  15'  W.,  Astronomical  time. 


Latitude  66° 


Temperature. 

Precipitation. 

Date. 

Maxi- 
mum. 

Mini- 
mum. 

Range. 

Mean. 

Time 
of  be- 
gin- 
nings 

Time 

of 
end- 
ing.a 

Amount,  b 

Depth  of 
snow  on 
ground  at 
time  of 
observa- 
tion. 

Miscellaneous  phe- 
nomena. 

1 

-  S 

-3 
15 
15 
6 

-  1 
1 
1 
4 
1 

-23 

-16 

-10 

21 

16 

10 

-13 

-23 

-33 

-24 
-36 
-51 
-50 
-45 
-39 
-36 
-24 
-22 
-23 
-34 
-39 

-22 

-12 

-15 

5 

-10 

-  8 

-  9 

-  4 

-  2 
-25 
-38 
-30 
-19 
-11 

2 
-16 
-35 
-35 

-43 

-37 
-53 
-59 
-58 
-53 
-45 
-44 
-38 
-40 
-40 
-43 
-44 

19 

9 
30 
10 
16 

7 
10 

5 

6 
26 
15 
14 

9 
32 
14 
26 
22 
12 

10 

13 

17 
8 
8 
"8 
6 
8 

14 
18 
17 
9 
5 

-12.5 

-  7.5 
0 

10 

-  2 

-  4.5 

-  4 

-  1.5 
1 

-12 
-30.5 
-23 
-14.5 

5 

9 

-  3 
-24 
-29 

0.02 

0.00 

0.11 
T. 

0.05 
T. 
T. 
T. 

0.08 
T. 

0.00 
T. 

0.04 
T. 

0.00 
T. 
T. 

0.02 

T. 

0.05 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 

T. 

T. 

T. 
0.00 
0.00 

14.1 

14.1 
15.0 
15.3 
16.0 
16.1 
16.2 
16.3 
16.9 
16.8 
16.6 
16.6 
17.0 
16.9 
16.8 
16.8 
16.8 
17.0 

17.0 

17.6 
17.6 
17.6 
17.6 
17.6 
17.6 
17.6 
17.6 
17.6 
17.6 
17.6 
17.6 

Very  brilliant  display 
of  northern  lights. 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

Do. 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

Do. 

12 

Do. 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

-38 

aurora. 
Aurora;  18  hours  lu- 

20  

-30.5 

-44.5 

-55 

-54 

-49 

-42 

-40 

-31 

-31 

-31.5 

-38.5 

-41.5 

nar  halo  and  par- 
aselense. 
16  hours  paraselense. 

21 

22 

Do. 

23 

24. 

Do. 

25..-. 

Do. 

26 

Do. 

27 

Do. 

28 

Do. 

29 

Do. 

30 

Do. 

31 

Sum . . . 

-458 
-14.  77 

-881 
-28.42 

-669.5    

0.37 

Mean . . 

-21. 59 

«  See  weather  report. 


6  Including  rain,  hail,  sleet,  and  melted  snow. 


MONTHLY  SUMMARY. 


Temperature. — Mean  maximum,  —14.77°;  mean  minimum,  —28.42°;  mean,  —21.59°;  maximum,  21°; 
date,  December  14;  minimum,  —59°;  date,  December  22. 

Precipitation. — Total.  0.37  inch;  greatest  in  twenty-four  hours,  0.11;  date,  December  3;  total  snow 
on  ground  December  15,  16.8  inches. 

Number  of  days  with  0.01  inch  or  more  precipitation,  7.     (See  weather  report.) 


311 

Meteorological  record  for  month  of  January,  1900. 

Station,  Yukon  River,  Alaska;  winter  quarters,  Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall  River,  Alaska.    Latitude  66° 
00'  N.:  longitude  149°  15'  W.;  Astronomical  time. 


Temperature. 


Date. 


Sum . 
Mean 


Maxi- 
mum. 


1 

-36 

2 

-33 

3 

-21 

4 

-12 

5 

6 

7 

8 

-34 
-39 
-40 

-13 

9 

-10 

10 

-  8 

11 

-11 

12 

-37 

13 

-43 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

-47 
-50 
-54 
-53 
-52 
-20 

20 

-13 

21 

-20 

22 

-16 

23 

-20 

24 

-22 

25 

-32 

26 

-24 

27 

-17 

28 

-  8 

29 

2 

30 

2 

31 

-  5 

Mini- 


Range. 


-11 


-m 


-43 
-44 

-47 


-45 
-13 
-16 


-786 
-25.35 


-1,164 
-37.55 


32 


Mean. 


Precipitation. 


Time  j  Time 
of  be-      of 
gin-  !  end- 
ning.n  ing,« 


-38.5 
-35 
-28 
-22 

-38.5 
—41.5 
-43.5 


-29 

-11.5 

-12 


975 
-31.45 


Amcant.b 


0.00 
0.00 
0.00 


0.00 
0.00 
0.00 


0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.01 
0.01 

r. 

0.02 
0.02 
0.00 
0.00 
0.03 
0.03 
0.02 
0.15 
0.00 
0.00 


Depth  of 
snow  on 
ground  at 
time  of 
observa- 
tion. 


0.37 


17.4 
17.4 
17.4 


17.4 
17.5 
17.5 

17.5 
17.5 
17.5 
17.5 
17.5 
17.5 
17.5 
17.5 
18.2 
18.3 
18.3 
18.5 
18.7 
18.7 
18.7 
19.0 
19.3 
19.5 
21.0 
21.0 
21.0 


Miscellaneous  phe- 
nomena. 


Aurora. 
Do. 

Aurora    parhelia    in 
same  altitude. 
Do. 

Aurora. 

10  hours  paraselenae 
in  same  altitude; 
aurora:  parhelia  in 
same  altitude. 

102  hours  paraselense. 

9th.    8  hours  lunar 

halo. 
10th.  Aurora. 
11th.  Aurora. 
12th.  Aurora. 

14th.  Aurora. 

Aurora 
Do 


Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 

Do. 
Do. 


«  See  weather  report. 


Including  rain,  hail,  sleet,  and  melted  snow. 


MONTHLY  SUMMARY. 


Temperature.— Mean  maximum,  —25.35°;  mean  minimum,  —37.55°;  mean,  —31.45°;  maximum,  2°, 
date,  January  29  and  30;  minimum,  —63°;  date,  January  18. 

Precipitation  —Total,  0.37  inch,  greatest  in  twenty-four  hours.  0.15.  date,  January  29;  total  snow 
on  ground  January  15,  17.5  inches. 

Number  of  days  with  0.01  inch  or  more  precipitation,  9.     (See  weather  report.) 

Remarks.—  The  maximum  thermometer  was  broken  in  setting  on  January  22. 
peratures  after  that  date  are  taken  from  the  highest  hourly  reading. 


The  maximum  tern- 


312 


Meteorological  record  for  month  of  February,  1900. 

Station,  Yukon  River,  Alaska;  winter  quarters,  Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall  River,  Alaska. 
66°  00'  N.,  longitude  149°  15'  W.;  Astronomical  time. 


Latitude, 


Temperature. 

Precipitation. 

Date. 

Maxi- 
mum. 

\ 

Mini- 
mum. 

Range. 

Mean. 

Time 
of  be- 
gin- 
nings 

Time 

of 
end- 
ing.a 

Amount.  & 

Depth  of 
snow  on 
ground  at 
time  of 
observa- 
tion. 

Miscellaneous  phe- 
nomena. 

1 

-  4 
-12 

0 

9 

10 

2 

-  4 
2 
4 
6 
7 
8 
8 

10 
3 

-  1 

-  5 

-  8 
11 

-10 
-19 

-  1 
1 
5 

-  1 

-  2 

-  6 

-25 
-34 
-39 

-  6 
-19 
-12 
-18 

-  9 

-  5 
-10 

-  4 
4 
1 

-16 
-22 
-17 
-35 
-31 
-40 
-48 
-49 
-23 
-23 
-27 
-36 
-38 
-36 
-36 

21 
22 
39 
15 
29 
14 
14 
11 
9 
16 
11 
4 
7 
26 
25 
16 
30 
23 
51 
38 
30 
22 
24 
32 
35 
36 
30 
-33 

-14.5 
-23 
-19.5 
+  1.5 

-  4.5 

-  5 
-11 

-  3.5 

-  0.5 

-  2 

-  1.5 
6 
4.5 

-  3 

-  9.5 

-  9 
-20 
-19.5 
-14.5 
—29 
-34 
-12 
-11 
-11 
-18.5 
-20 
-21 
-19.5 

0.00 
0.01 
0.15 

T. 

T. 

T. 
0.00 
0.04 
0.00 

T. 

T. 

T. 

T. 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 

T. 
0.05 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 

21.0 
21.1 
22.7 
22.8 
22.8 
22.9 
22.9 
23.4 
23.4 
23.4 
23.5 
23.5 
23.6 
23.4 
23.4 
23.0 
22.8 
22.8 
22.7 
22.6 
22.6 
23.0 
22.9 
22.9 
22.9 
22.9 
22.9 
22.8 

Aurora. 

2... 

Do. 

3 

4 

Do. 

5 

6 

7... 

8 

9 

10 



11... 

12... 

13. .. 

14 

15 

16     . 

9  paraselense. 

17... 

18 

19 

Do. 

20 

Do. 

21... 

Do. 

22... 

23 

Do. 

24 

Do. 

25 

Do. 

26 

Do. 

27 

Do. 

28 

Do. 

Sum . . . 

+10 
+0. 359 

-653 
-23. 321 

-321. 5 
-11.48 

0.25 

Mean . . 

a  See  weather  report. 


&  Including  rain,  hail,  sleet,  and  melted  snow. 

MONTHLY  SUMMARY. 


Temperature. — Mean  maximum,  0.359°;  mean  minimum,  —23.321°;  mean,  —11.48°;  maximum,  11°; 
date,  February  19;  minimum,  —49°;  date,  February  21. 

Precipitation. — Total,  0.25  inch;  greatest  in  twenty-four  hours,  0.15;  date,  February  3;  total  snow 
on  ground  February  15,  23.4  inches. 

Number  of  days  with  0.01  inch  or  more  precipitation,  4.    (See  weather  report.) 


313 


Meteorological  record  for  month  of  March,  1900. 

Latitude,  66°  00' N.;  longitude, 


Station,  Yukon  River,  Alaska;  Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall  River,  Alaska. 
149°  15'  W.    Astronomical  time. 


Date. 

Temperature. 

Precipitation. 

Maxi- 
mum. 

X    Binge.    Mean. 

Time 
of  be- 
gin- 
ning. « 

Time 

of 
end- 
ing.a 

Amount,  ft 

Depth  of 
snow  on 
ground 
at  time 
of  obser- 
vation. 

Miscellaneous  phe- 
nomena. 

1 17 

-31 
-24 
-29 

-27 

48 
44 
33 

37 

-  7 

-  2 
-12.5 

-  8.5 
-10 

-  21 
-2fi 

0.00  '          22.8  ' 

2 20 

0.00              22.8  1   Anrnm 

3 

4 

10 
5 

0.00 

0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 

T. 
0.10 
0.00 
0.00 

T. 

4 

5 

play. 

-25  j          30 
-43            44 
-45            38 

22.7  j 

6 

1 

-  7 

-  5 

-  3 

-  5 

-  2 
0 

12 
32 
39 
43 

47 

22.6  1          Do. 

7... 

22.5  i          Do 

8... 

-43            38     -24 
-41            38     —22 

22.4  !          Do. 

9 

22. 4            Do. 

10 

-42            37 

-23.5 
-22 
-12 
5.5 

22.4 

11 

-42 

-24 
-  1 

40 
24 
13 

22.4  I          Do. 

12 

22. 5             Do. 

13 

23.6 

14 

1  |          31 
10            29 

-  1            44 

5            42 
5            41 
19            23 
14  |          31 
10  1          30 
4  |          29 
8            15 
3            20 

-  7            23 
10              8 

16.5 
24.5 
21 

26 

23. 3            Do. 

15 



23                Do. 

16 

:::::::::::;: 

23        13.45    hours   passing 

rain  shower. 
23 

17 

0.00 
0  00 

18  . 

46 

25.5 
30.5 
29.5 
25 
18.5 
15.5 
13 
4.5 
14 
13.5 
16 

19 
8.5 
22 



19 

42 
45 
40 
33 
23 
23 
16 
18 
23 
28 

29 
20 
26 

0.00 
0.00 

T. 
0.00 

T. 

T. 

T. 

T. 

T. 

T. 

T. 
T. 

.04 

22.8  j 

20 

22.5  ! 

21 

22. 5  !  Light  snowfall. 

22 

22.5     Aurora. 

23 

22.5  1          Do. 

24 

22.5 

25 

22. 4            Do. 

26 

22.4 

27 

4 
4 

9 

-  3 

18 

19 
24 

20 
23 

8 

22.4 

28 

29 

noon;  9.30,  aurora. 
22.2      Anmm 

30 



22.2 
22.6 

Do. 

31 

Sum . . . 

620 
20 

-305    

-9.838    

158 
5.09 

.14 

Mean.. 

a  See  weather  report. 


b  Including  rain,  hail,  sleet,  and  melted  snow. 


MONTHLY   SUMMARY, 


March 


Temperature. — Mean  maximum,  20°;  mean  minimum,  —  9.838°;  mean,  c.09°.  Maximum, 
17;  minimum.  —  45°.  March  7. 

Precipitation.— Total,  0.14  inch.  Greatest  in  twenty-four  hours,  0.10,  March  13.  Total  snow  on  ground 

March  15,  23  inches.    Number  of  days  with  0.01  inch  or  more  precipitation,  2.  See  weather  report. 


314 


Meteorological  record  for  month  of  April,  1900. 

Latitude,  66°  00'  N.;  longitude, 


Station,  Yukon  River,  Alaska;  Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall  River,  Alaska 
149°  15'  W.    Astronomical  time. 


Temperature. 

Precipitation. 

Date. 

Maxi- 
mum. 

Mini- 
mum. 

Range. 

Mean. 

Time 
of  be- 
gin- 
ning.** 

Time 
of 
end- 
ing." 

Amount,  b 

Depth  of 
snow  on 
ground  at 
time  of 
observa- 
tion. 

Miscellaneous  phe- 
nomena. 

1 

27 
16 
20 

13 

11 
14 
15 
27 
38 
45 

46 

48 
44 
48 
48 

48 
44 
40 
40 
37 
32 
33 
31 
37 

46 
52 
50 
48 
39 
44 

11 

4 

-24 

-  3 

2 

2 

-20 

1 

-  1 

7 

8 
22 
12 
32 
33 

29 
27 
13 
22 
23 
18 
18 
19 
26 

25 
19 
25 
32 
28 
19 

16 

12 
44 

16 
9 
12 
35 
26 
39 
38 

38 
26 
32 
16 
15 

19 
17 
27 
18 
14 
14 
15 
12 
11 

21 
33 
25 
16 
11 
25 

19 

10 

-  2 

5 
6.5 

0.02 
0.07 
T. 

0.01 
0.02 
0.05 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 

0.00 

0.00 

0.00 

r.  0. 02 

r.As.0.04 

0.00 
r  A  s  T 

22.7 
23.2 
23.2 

23.3 
23.5 
24.0 
24.0 
23.6 
23.5 
23.5 

23.0 
22.0 
20.6 
18.0 
17.6 

16.0 
15.2 
13.9 
12.5 
11.3 
10.8 
10.0 
9.5 
7.8 

6.8 
4.3 

M 

2 



3 

Brilliant  auoral  dis- 

4  

play. 
Aurora. 

5 

6 

8 

-  2.5 

14 

18.5 
26 

27 
35 
28 
40 
40.5 

7 

8 

Lunar  halo. 

9 

Aurora. 

10 

1.00,  solar  halo;  10.30, 
lunar  halo;  22.00, 
lunar  halo;  parhe- 
lia, above  and  be- 
low and  in  same 
altitude. 

11 

12 

8.30,  paraselenae. 

13 

14 

15 



First  geese  and  ducks 
seen. 

16 

38.5 
35.5 
26.5 

17 

18 

0.00 
T. 

19 

31 

30 

25 

25.5 

25 

31.5 

35.5 

35.5 

37.5 

40 

33.5 

31.5 

20 

0.00 
T. 

0.00 
T. 

21 

22 

23 

24 

T. 

0.00 
0  00 

25 

flow  over  ice  in  Dall 
River. 

26 

27 

r.  A  s.  T. 
.00 
T. 

0.00 

28 

29 

30 

Aurora. 

Sum . . . 

1,081 
36.033 

429 
14.3 

755 

25.166 

0.23 

Mean.. 

a  See  weather  report. 

&  Including  rain,  hail,  sleet,  and  melted  snow. 


c2  to  5  inches  in  spots. 
d  On  ground  in  spots. 


MONTHLY   SUMMARY. 


Temperature. — Mean  maximum,  36.033°;  mean  mininum,  14.300°;  mean,  25.166°;  maximum,  52°, 
April  26;  minimum,  -24°,  April  3. 

Precipitation. — Total,  0.23  inch.  Greatest  in  twenty-four  hours,  0.07,  April  2.  Total  snow  onjground 
April  15,  17.6  inches.    Number  of  days  with  0.01  inch  or  more  precipitation,  7.    6ee  weather  report. 

Remarks. — April  29, 1900,  ice  commencing  to  lift  in  Dall  River. 


315 

Meteorological  record  for  month  of  yfay,  1900. 

Station.  Yukon  River.  Alaska;  Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall  River,  Alaska;    Latitude,  66°  00'  N.;  longitude, 
149°  15'  W.    Astronomical  time. 


Temperature.                                    Precipitation. 

Date. 

Maxi-     Mini- 
mum,    mum. 

Range. 

Time 
ning.a 

Time 

of 
end- 
ing.a 

Amount.^ 

Depth  of 
snow  on 
ground  at 
time  of 
observa- 
tion. 

Miscellaneous  phe- 
nomena. 

1 

46  1          30 
38  1         29 
43            23 

16  !      38 

I 
s.  T.              (c\ 

2... 

9  1      33.5 
20         33 

s.  0. 10 

s.  T. 

s.  0.06 

r.  T. 
0.00 
0.00 

s.  0. 01 

r.  T. 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
0.00 
r.  as.  0.04 

r.  0. 15 

C 
(c) 

3 

4 

45            32            13         38.5 
40            26             14         33 
44            24  1          20         34 
44            28            16         36 

6... 

(d)       ■  5.30,  parhelia. 

7... 

8 

42             25  1          17  1       33.5 

9 

44 
53 
58 
50 
56 
52 

28            16         36 
27            26  !      40 
27            31         42.5 
31  I          19         40.5 
31             25  ■      43.5 



10 

w 

11 

6.00,  parhelia. 

12     . 

13 



14 

33  !           19  ,       42.5 

15 

56            34  !          22 

49  32            17 

50  33             17 
53            29  i          24 
60            33  !          27 

64  35            29 

65  39  1          26 
58            31 

45 
40.5 

16 

17 

41.5 

41 

46.5 

49.5 

52 

44.5 



18 

19 

0.00 
0.00 

20 



21 

r.  T. 

s.  A  r.  0. 13 

0.00 

0.00 

0.00 

r.  T. 
0.15 

3 

23 

49            33 

46  j          30 
45            29 

47  33 

16 

41 

24 

16  !      38 
16  i      37 
14  !      40 

25 

26 

27 

55  31  |          24  |      43 
53            41            12  1      47 
51             32            19  j      41.5 

56  36            20  !      46 
63            37             26         50 

Solar  halo. 

28 

0.04 
0.26 
0.02 
0.01 

29 

:::::::::: 

30 

31 

Sum ... 

1,575           962    1,270.5 

50. 8                                        40. « 

0.97 

Mean . . 

i 

«  See  weather  report. 

^Including  rain,  hail,  sleet,  and  melted  snow. 


cSnow  on  ground  in  spots. 
dSnow  in  sheltered  places. 


MONTHLY   SUMMARY. 


Temperature.— Mean  maximum,  50.8°;  mean  minimum,  31.0°;  mean,  40;9°;  maximum  65°,  May  21; 
minimum.  23°,  May  3. 

Precipitation. — Total.  0.97  inch.    Greatest  in  twenty-four  hours,  0.26,  May  29.    Number  of  days  with 
0.01  inch  or  more  precipitation,  11.    See  weather  report. 

Remarks. — About  7  hours,  May  16,  the  ice  in  Yukon  River  in  this  vicinity  broke  and  moved  down- 
stream. 

Eugene  Blake,  Jr., 
Lieutenant,  Revenue- Cutter  Service. 


5661—03- 


-39 


316 

FACE  OF  SKY. 

The  amount  of  clear  sky  is  expressed  in  tenths,  zero  denoting  a  sky  completely 
overcast,  and  ten  a  clear  sky. 
The  cloud  forms  are  indicated  by  the  following  combinations  of  letters: 

Ci Cirrus. 

Ci-S Cirro-stratus. 

Ci-Cu Cirro-Cumulus. 

A-Cu Alto-cumulus. 

A-S Alto-stratus. 

S-Cu Strato-cumulus. 

N Nimbus. 

Cu Cumulus. 

Cu-N Cumulo-nimbus. 

S Stratus. 

The  illustrated  cloud  forms  of  the  United  States  Hydrographic  Office  have  been 
used  as  a  guide  in  making  these  observations. 
The  sign  (")  indicates  the  same  entry  as  that  of  the  hour  immediately  preceding. 

Cloud  forms  and  amount  of  clear  sky  {expressed  in  tenths) . 

SEPTEMBER,  1899. 
[Astronomical  time  used.] 


Date 


Place. 


Rampart  Citv  65°  32' 

N.,  150°  10' W 

do 

....do 

65°  40' N.,  149°  55' W.. 
66°  00' N.,  149°  15' W.. 

....do 

Rampart  City 

'!!!".do!!."!!!.".""!".".\" 

....do 

....do 

....do 

do 

do 

....do 

do 

do 

Coal  mine  65°40'N., 

149°55'W 

do 

do 

Between   coal   mine 

and  Dall  River 

Dall  River  66°  00' N., 

149°15'W 

do 


.do 
.do 

.do 

.do 
.do 

.do 

.do 


4h. 


4A-CU 

7A-Cu 

8Ci 

3Ci-S 

ON 

4  Cu-N 
9Cu 
3S-Cu 
ON 
IS 

IS 

2  A-S 
0A-S 

3  Cu-N 
2  Ci-Cu 
IS 
ON 

ON 

2S-Cu 

ON 

2N 

lS-Cu 

5  Ci-Cu 
ICi-S 
OS 

3Ci-S 
ON 
ON 
9Cu 
9Cu 


Sh. 


12h. 


1  A-Cu 
3  A-Cu 
5Ci 
IN 
ON 

3  Cu-N 

7  A-Cu 

lS-Cu 

ON 

06 

4S-Cu 

ON 

0A-S 

7  Cu-N 
OCu-N 
OS 
ON 

ON 

2  A-Cu 
ON 

5Cu 

OS 

5  A-Cu 

OS 

ON 

ON 

ON 

8  C'i-S 
10 

10 


ON 

7  A-Cu 
ON 
4N 
ON 
7Cu 
10 
ON 
ON 
OS 
8Cu 
2Cu 
ON 
6Ci-S 
ON 
OS 
ON 

ON 

OS-Cu 

ON 

ON 

6S-Cu 
4  A-Cu 
OS-Cu 
ON 
ON  • 
ON 

10 

10 

10 


16h. 


20h. 


ON 

6  A-Cu 

ON 

2Cu-S 

ON 

8Ci 

9Cu 

ON 

ON 

IN 

3S 

8Cu 

ON 

0A-S 

ON 

ON 

ON 

OS 

OS-Cu 

ON 


9Ci 

4  A-Cu 

6'S-Cu 

ON 

ON 

ON 

9Ci 
10 
10 


lS-Cu 

5  Ci-Cu 

2Ci-S 

ON 

ON 

8  Ci-Cu 

ON 

ON 

3Cu 

ON 

ON 

7  Ci-Cu 
ON 

4  Cu-N 
IN 
ON 
ON 

OS 
IS 
ON 

ON 

8  Ci-Cu 
8  Ci-Cu 
6Ci 
ON 
ON 
ON 
7Ci 

10 
10 


24h. 


5Cu 
8Ci 

2  A-Cu 
ON 

3  Ci-Cu 
8  Ci-Cu 
2N 
ON 
2Cu 
ON 
3Ci-S 

6  A-Cu 
ON 

1  Cu-N 

2  Cu-N 
ONi 
ON 

2  Ci-Cu 

ON 
ON 
4S-Cu 

7Ci 

6Ci 
2S 
3N 
ON 
ON 
6Ci 
8  C-Cu 
10 


317 


Cloud  forms  and  amount  of  clear  sky  (expressed  in  tenths) — Continued. 

OCTOBER,  1899. 


Date. 

Place. 

4h. 

8h. 

12h. 

16h. 

20h. 

24h. 

1 
2 

Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

do 

10 

ON 

2  Cu-N 

ON 

ON 

2  Cu-N 

5  Ci-Cu 

2  Ci-Cu 

8Cu 

OS 

8  Cu-N 

IS 

ON 

4Ci 

ON 

ON 
10 

6Ci 

OS 

ON 

4Ci-S 

ON 

ON 

ON 

2Cu 

IN 

ON 

5Cu 

ON 

ON 

OS 

6A-S 

ON 

ON 

ON 

ON 

2  Cu-N 

8  Oi-S 

ON 
10 

OS 

ON 

OS 

ON 

5Ci 

ON 

ON 
10 

8Ci 

OS 

ON 

ON 

ON 

ON 

ON 
10 

2S 

ON 

OS 

ON 
10 

ON 

OA-S 

ON 

ON 

ON 
10 

2  Cu-N 

8Ci-S 

ON 
10 

OS 

ON 

ON 

ON 
10 

ON 

ON 
10 

8Ci 

OS 

ON 

ON 

ON 

ON 

ON 

7Cu 

7Cu 

2S 

OS 

ON 
10 

ON 

OA-S 
5S-CU 
ON 
6N 

10 

ON 

8Ci-S 

8S 

7S 

OS 

6A-Cu 

ON 

ON 

8S 

ON 

8Cu 

OA-S 

OS 

OS 

4S 

ON 

ON 

ON 

ON 

6Cu 

2S 

2S 

OS 

ON 
10 

3A-CU 

5  Cu-N 

ON 

ON 

3Cu 

IN 

4S-Cu 

IS 

7  Ci-Cu 

ON 

ON 

ON 

5Ci-S 

ON 

ON 

7A-Cu 

2A-S 

OS 

OS 

6Cu 

ON 

ON 

ON 

ON 

7  Ci-Cu 

OS 

2S 

OS 

IS 

8Ci 

ON 

ON 
6  Cu-N 

3 

do 

ON 

4 

...do... 

ON 

5 

do 

5Cu 

6 

do 

2S-Cu 

7 

do 

8  Ci-Cu 

8 

do 

IS 

9 

...  .do 

4Cu 

10 

do 

ON 

11 

do 

2  Ci-Cu 

12 

...do 

ON 

13 

do 

3  Ci-Cu 

14 

do 

ON 

15 

do  ... 

ON 

16 

...do... 

6  Ci-Cu 

17 

...do 

8  Ci 

18 

do 

OS 

19 

do 

2Cu 

20 

...do... 

6Cu 

21 

...do 

ON 

22 

do 

ON 

23 

do 

OS-Cu 

24 

ON 

25 

...do... 

3S 

26 

ON 

27 

do 

3Cu 

28 

do 

OS 

29 

do 

3S 

30 

....do... 

5Ci-S 

31 

do 

ON 

NOVEMBER,  1899. 


1     Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 


10 

11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 

18  , 

19  : 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 


River,  Alaska 
...do 


.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 


ON 

IS 

5S 

ON 

6Ci 

8Ci 

4Ci-S 

OS 

3S 
10 

9Ci 

7Ci 
10 

9Ci 

7S 

ON 

OS-Cu 

4S-Cu 

ON 

0  N 

ON 

ON 

OS-Cu 

8Ci 

OS 

OS 

ON 

OS 

ON 

4S-Cu 


ON 

10 

10 
ON 

10 

10 

10 
OS 

10 

10 

10 
8Ci 

10 

10 

10 
ON 
OS 
OS 
OS 
ON 
9Ci 
ON 
ON 
OS 

10 
4S 
ON 
9Ci 
4N 
8Ci 


ON 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 
ON 

10 

10 

10 
7Ci 

10 

10 

10 
ON 
OS 
OS 
OS 
ON 

10 
IS 
ON 
2S 
5S 
88 
OS 
l!S 
2N 
8Ci 


6N 

8Ci 
10 
10 
10 
10 

IS 

8N 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

ON 

OS-Cu 

9Cu 

OS 

OS 

6Ci 

IS 

OS-Cu 

OS 

5S 

OS 

OS 

2S 

3N 
10 


ON 

3Ci 
10 

8Ci-S 

9Ci 

9Ci 

ON 

2N 

8Ci 
10 
10 

7Ci 
10 
10 

7S 

ON 

OS-Cu 

4S-Cu 

OS 

OS 

OS 

IS 

OS-Cu 

2S 

2S-Cu 

ON 

OS 

OS 

8Ci 

8Ci 


IN 

7Ci 

8Cu 

9Ci-S 

9Ci 

5Ci-S 

2S 

3N 

9Ci 
10 

9Ci 

9Ci 
10 

7S-Cu 

9Ci 

2  Cu-N 
OS-Cu 
IS 
ON 
ON 
4Ci-S 
2C1-S 
5Ci-S 
OS 

OS-Cu 
ON 
OS 
ON 

3  Cu-N 
10 


318 

Cloud  forms  and  amount  of  clear  sky  (expressed  in  tenths) — Continued. 

DECEMBER,  1899. 


Date. 


Place. 


Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 


-lb. 


8h. 


0 

o 

8 
0 
0 
0 

10 
10 

0 

0 
0 

9 

4 

2 
10 
10 

OS 

8S 
10 
10 

8 

5 

7 


Ci 

S 

Ci 

N 

N 

S 

S-Cu 


s 

N 

S 
Ci 

S-Cu 
Ci-S 


S 

s 

Ci-S 

s 
s 

s 

Ci 
Ci 


8Ci 

OS 

ON 

7S 

6S 

4S 

lS-Cu 

OS 

OS 
10 

9Ci 

8Ci 

OS 

4  S-Cu 

9Ci 

3A-Cu 

9Ci 
10 

8  Ci-S 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

9S 
10 
10 
10 

9Ci 
10 
10 


12h. 


10 
9Ci 
ON 
ON 

ON 
4S 

4  S-Cu 
OS 
ON 
OS 
8Ci 
10 
0  S-Cu 

3  Ci-S 
9Cu 

4  S-Cu 
OS 
4S 

8  Ci-S 

ON 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

4S 
10 
10 

9Ci 
10 


16h. 


20h. 


10 
10 

ON 

ON 
10 

lS-Cu 

OS 

OS 

ON 

OS 
10 

3S 

OS-Cu 

ICi-S 

4Cu 

OS 

9Ci 

ON 

8Ci 

8S 
10 
10 
10 

9S 
10 

8S 

4S 

7S 
10 

7S 
10 


7  S-Cu 
6  S-Cu 
ON 
ON 
4S 

3S-CU 
OS 
OS 
ON 
9Ci 
OS 

1  S-Cu 
lS-Cu 
OS-Cu 
ON 
5S 
9Ci 
5  Ci-S 
7Ci 
OS 
9Ci 
9Ci 
10 
9S 

8  Ci-S 
9S 
3A-S 
OS 
9Ci 
7S 
9Ci 


24h. 


2  S-Cu 
8Ci 
ON 
ON 

5  Ci-Cu 

4  S-Cu 
OS 
OS 

5  Ci-Cu 
9Ci 
OS 

OS 

lS-Cu 

OS-Cu 

3  Cu-N 
ON 
7Ci 

5  Ci-S 

3  Ci-S 
5  Ci-S 
9Ci 
9Ci 

10 
9S 

9  Ci-S 
9S 
OS 

4  S-Cu 
8Ci 

8  S-Cu 
10 


JANUARY,  1900. 


1 

2 

Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska. 
do 

10 

9Ci 
10 

OS 
10 
9Ci 

8S 

9Ci 

ON 

OS 

7  Ci-S 
10 

10 

9  Ci-S 
9  Ci-S 
9  Ci-S 
9  Ci-S 
9  Ci-S 
6S 
ON 

8  Ci-S 
ON 
ON 

8  S-Cu 
10 
8Ci 
ON 
ON 
ON 
2Cu 
8Ci 

10 

10 
10 
2S 
10 
10 

8S  * 
10 

ON 

9Ci 

7  Ci-S 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

9  Ci-S 

4S 

ON 

9S 

ON 

9  Ci-S 

9  Ci-S 
10 
10 

ON 

OS 

ON 

2S 

OS 

10 

10 

7S 

OS 
10 
10 
10 
10 

ON 

9Ci 

7  Ci-S 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

OS 

ON 

OS 

ON 

IS 
10 
10 
10 

ON 

4S 

6S 

68 

OS 

8  Ci-S 

10 

9S 
10 
10 
10 
10 

OS 

5N 

3  S-Cu 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

OS 

4S 

5  S-Cu 

ON 

3S 

7  Ci-S 
10 

ON 

58 

4S 

4S 

6S 

IS 

8  Ci-S 

8  S-Cu 
OS 

5  S-Cu 
9Ci 
9Ci 

10 

7  S-Cu 
3  S-Cu 
OS 
9Ci 

9  Ci-S 
9  Ci-S 

10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

OS 

OS 

8  Ci-S 
ON 

6  Ci-S 
10 

10 
ON 
OS 
OS 

7  Ci-S 
8Ci 
OS 

6  Ci-S 
10 

3 

do 

OCi-S 

4 

...do.... 

7  Ci-S 

5 

do 

10 

6 

....do 

9Ci 

7 

do 

10 

8 

do 

ON 

9 

do 

4  Ci-S 

10 

...do 

5  Ci-S 

11 

...do 

10 

12 

...do 

10 

13 

...do 

10 

14 

do 

10 

15 

do 

10 

16 

...do 

9  Ci-S 

17 

do... 

10 

18 

do 

9  Ci-S 

19 

do 

OS 

20 

do 

IS 

21 

do... 

ON 

22 

do 

ON 

23 

do 

6  Ci-S 

24 

do 

8  Ci-S 

25 
26 

do 

do 

8  Ci-S 
ON 

27 

do 

OS 

28 

do 

OS 

29 

do 

6  S-Cu 

30 

do.... 

9Ci 

31 

do 

OS 

319 


Cloud  form?  and  amount  of  clear  sky  (expressed  in  tenths) — Continued. 

FEBRUARY,  1900. 


Date. 

Place. 

4h. 

8h. 

12h. 

16h. 

20h. 

24h. 

1 
2 

Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

...do 

OS 

8Ci-S 

5S 

ON 

4Ci-S 

ON 

OS 

IS-Cu 

0  S-Ca 

IS-Cu 

IS-Cu 

ON 

ON 

OS 
10 

9Ci-S 
10 

2  S-Cu 
10 
10 
10 

ON 

ICi-S 

7Ci-S 
10 
10 
10 
10 

10 

9Ci 
10 

ON 

9(Ji 

ON 

6Ci-S 

ON 

2Cu 

OS 

OS 

ON 

0A-S 

OS 
10 
10 
10 

9Ci-S 
10 
10 
10 

5S 

9Ci 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

4S 
10 
10 

ON 

9Ci 

ON 

8Ci 

ON 

2  A-Cu 

IS-Cu 

IS 

ON 

3Ci-S 

9Ci 
10 
10 
10 

9Ci-S 
10 
10 
10 

6S 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

9Ci 
10 

ON 

5S 

OS 

4S 

5Ci-S 

ON 

1  A-S 

OS 

ON 

ON 

OS 
10 

7Ci-S 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

6S 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

8S 

IS 
10 
ON 
7Ci 
OS 
6S 

5  Ci-S 

1  A-Cu 

2  S-Cu 
OS 
ON 
ON 
OS 
8Ci 
OS 

8  Ci-S 

9  Ci-S 
9  Ci-S 

10 

8  Ci-S 
4S 
48 

6  Ci-S 

9  Ci-S 
10 

10 
10 
2S 

3  S-Cu 
7  Ci 

3 

do 

ON 

4 

...  .do 

9Ci 

I 

.do... 

OS 

6 

...do 

6  Ci-S 

...do 

7  A-Cu 

8 

....do 

4Cu 

9 

....do 

1  S-Cu 

10 

do 

2  A-Cu 

11 

...do 

ON 

12 

...do 

ON 

13 

....do 

lCu 

14 

do 

10 

15 

...do 

3  Ci-Cu 

16 

...do 

10 

17 

...do 

7  A-Cu 

18 

do  ... 

9  Ci-S 

19 

..do  ... 

10 

20 

...do... 

10 

21 

...do 

ON 

22 

....do 

3  Ci-S 

23 

do 

5  Ci-S 

24 

do 

10 

25 

..do... 

10 

26 

10 

27 
28 

do 

do 

10 
9Ci 

MARCH,  1900. 


Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

do 


....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do. 
....do 
....do 
....do 
....do 
....do 
....do 
....do 
....do 
....do 
....do 
....do 
....do 
....do 


10 
10 
10 

8Ci 

8Ci 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

6  A-Cu 

ON 

9  S-Cu 

2Cu 

6  S-Cu 
9Ci 

10 

0A-S 
10 

OS 

4  A-Cu 

7  S-Cu 
0A-S 
OS 
ON 
OX 

5  Ci-S 
9Ci 
ON 
OX 


10 
10 
10 
10 

8Ci 
10 
10 
10 

9  Ci-S 
10 
10 

9  Ci-S 

ON 

3  Ci-S 

9Ci 

OS 

8Ci 
10 

4S 
10 

5  Ci-3 
3  A-Cu 
IN 
IS 

3  Ci-S 

ON 

ON 

6  Ci-S 
8Ci 
ON 
ON 


10 
10 
10 
10 
9Ci 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

6  Ci-S 
ON 

5  Ci-S 
4Ci-Ca 

7  A-Cu 
8Ci 

10 
10 

9Ci 

9  Ci-S 

6  A-S 
5S 
OS 
7S 
ON 
ON 
2S 
OS 
ON 
OX 


8S 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 

2S 

ON 

ON 

ON 

9  Ci-S 

9  Ci-S 
10 

OS 

IS 

OS 

7S 

ON 

2S 

7  A-S 

ON 

2  S-Cu 

OX 

OS 

6  S-Cu 

OX 


2S 

10 

10 

10 
8Ci 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 
OS 
ON 

3  A-Cu 
3  Ci-Cu 
9  Ci-S 
9  Ci-S 
9  Ci-S 
6  Ci-S 
5  S-Cu 
ON 

8  S-Cu 
ON 
ON 
ON 
ON 

5  Ci-S 

6  S-Cu 
IN 
ON 
ON 


9Ci 

0 

9Ci 
10 
10 
10 
10 

9  Ci-S 
10 
10 

5Ci 

ON 

ON 

5Cu 

4  Ci-S 
9Cu 
9Ci 
5Ci 

9  Ci-Cu 
5S 
lCu 
10 
OX 

5  S-Cu 
ON 

OS-Cu 
5Ci 

7  Ci-Cu 
ON 
OX 
OX 


320 


Cloud  forms  and  amount  of  clear  sky  {expressed  in  tenths) — Continued. 

APRIL,  1900. 


Date. 

Place. 

4h. 

8h. 

12h. 

16h. 

20h. 

24h. 

1 
2 

Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

...do 

ON 
ON 

6  Ci-S 
3  Ci-S 
ON 
ON 

9  Cu 

7  Ci-S 

8  Ci-S 
6  Ci-S 
1  S-Cu 
5  Ci-S 
5  Ci 

3  S-CU 

3  Ci-Cu 
IS-Cu 
2Cu 
2Cu 

4  Ci-S 
ON 

3  Ci-Cu 
ON 

4  Cu-N 

5  Cu-N 
4  Ci-S 
4  Cu-N 
3  Cu-N 
OS 

OCu-N 
6Cu 

8S-Cu 
ON 
9  Ci-S 

1  S 
ON 
ON 

10 

2  Ci-S 
10 

8Ci 

IS-Cu 

OS 

4  Ci-S 

OS 

IN 

4S-Cu 

IS-Cu 

2Cu 

ON 

ON 

ON 

ON 

ON 

2  Cu-N 

2  Cu-N 

6Cu 

5Cu 

IS-Cu 

ON 

9Cu 

IS 

ON 
10 

2N 

ON 

ON 
10 

OCi-S 
10 

7Ci 
10 

3S 
10 

OS 

ON 

4S-Cu 

ON 
10 

OS 

ON 

ON 

6  Ci-Cu 

ON 

ON 

ICu-N 
10 

5Cu 

4S-Cu 

ON 
10 

ON 
ON 
IS 
ON 
ON 
ON 
9Cu 
2S 
10 

8  Ci-S 

9  Ci-S 
2S 

8S-CU 
ON 
ON 
OS 
ON 

7  Ci-S 

0  s 
ON 
ON 

1  A-Cu 
7S-Cu 
ON 

2  Cu-N 
9S 

4S 
ON 

ICu-N 
10 

ON 

2S 

4  Cu-N 
ON 
ON 
2N 

8  Ci-S 
OS 
9Ci 
3S 
10 
OS 
8Cu 
5Cu 
ON 
2S-Cu 
7Cu 
3  A-Cu 

5  Ci-Cn 
3  Ci-Cu 
ON 

5  Ci-Cu 
8  Ci-S 
2  Cu-N 
7S-Cu 
8  Ci-S 
OS 
3Cu 
ICu-N 
10 

ON 
4  Ci  Cu 

3 

...do 

5  Cu 

4 

...do 

ON 

5 

...do 

ON 

6 

do 

9  Cu 

7 

do 

6  Ci-S 

8 

do 

7S-Cu 

9 

...do 

5  Ci 

10 

...do   

1  S 

11 

...do 

0  Ci 

12 

do 

4  Ci-S 

13 

do 

5Ci 

14 

do 

7  Cu 

15 

do 

ON 

16 

do 

2S-Cu 

17 

...do 

4  Cu 

18 

...do 

1  S-Cu 

19 

...do 

3  Cu 

20 

....do 

4Cu 

21 

do 

ON 

22 

...do 

4  A-Cu 

23 

do 

9Ci 

24 

do 

5  Ci-S 

25 

do 

8Cu 

26 

...do 

7Cu 

27 

...do... 

4  Ci-S 

28 

....do 

3  Cu 

29 

do 

3  S-Cu 

30 

do 

9Ci 

MAY,  1900. 


1 

2 

Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

do 

8Ci 

ON 

ON 

2Cu 

5  Cu-N 

8CU 

4  S-Cu 
8Ci 
5Ci 
7S 
OS 
9Ci 
5Ci 
8Ci 
ICu-N 
OS 

OCu-N 
3  Cu-N 
3  Cu-N 
8Cu 
7Cu 
ICu-N 

2  Cu-N 
IS 
2S 
3S 

ICu-N 
ICu-N 
ON 

3  Cu-N 

5  Cu-N 

4Ci 
ON 
2N 
5Cu 
7Cu 
10 

2Cu 
8  Ci-S 
ON 
ON 
OS 
9Ci 
7  Ci-S 
8Ci 
1  Cu-N 
9Cu 
OCu-N 
ON 
8Cu 
9Cu 

5  Cu-N 

6  Ci-Cu 
ICu-N 
ON 

3  S-Cu 
IN 
ON 
ON 
8Cu 

4  S-Cu 
7Cu 

10 
ON 

7  S-Cu 
ON 

8  A-Cu 
10 

7Cu 
7  Ci-S 
ON 

3  Cu-N 
5S 

7  Ci-S 
7  A-S 
ICu-N 
ON 
8S 
ON 
7Cu 

7  S-Cu 

3  S-Cu 
ICu-N 
ICu-N 
OCu-N 
ON 
8SCu 
ON 
ON 

ICu-N 
OS 

4  S-Cu 

8  S-Cu 

OS 
ON 
2S 
ON 

1  A-Cu 
8S 

lM-Cu 
7'S 
5Ci 

6  A-Cu 

5Ci 

ICu-N 

3  A-S 

ICu-N 

ON 

6  Ci-S 

ON 

OCu-N 

8Cu 

9Cu 

3  Cu-N 

ON 

3  S-Cu 

IS-Cu 

9Ci 

ON 

2  Cu-N 
2  Cu-N 
OS 

OCu-N 
9Ci 

ON 
ON 
OS 
ICu-N 

3  A-Cu 
10 

4  Ci-S 
ON 
ON 
2Cu 
7Ci 

2  S-Cu 
3Cu 
OS 
ON 
8Ci 
ON 
8Cu 
9Cu 
9Cu 

4  Cu-N 
ON 

3  S-Cu 
OM-Cu 
ICi-S 
ICu-N 
ON 
ON 

3  S-Cu 
8Cu 
7  Cu-N 

ON 
ON 

3 

do 

7Cu 

4 

do 

7  Cu 

5 

do 

7Cu 

6 

do :... 

8  Ci-S 

...do... 

8Ci 

8 

do... 

3Cu 

9 

do 

5Cu 

10 

do 

ON 

11 

do 

10 

12 

do 

OS 

13 

do 

6  Ci-Cu 

14 

do 

OS 

15 

do 

OS-Cu 

16 

do 

7  Ci-S 

17 

do 

ON 

18 

do 

9Cu 

19 

do 

9Cu 

20 

do 

8Cu 

21 

do 

5  Cu-N 

22 

do 

ON 

23 

do 

ON 

24 
25 

do 

do 

2  Cu-N 

3  Ci-S 

26 
27 

65°  55' N.,  149°  18' W.. 
do 

ICu-N 
2  Cu-N 

28 
29 

65°  40' N.,  149°  55'  W.. 
do 

ON 
3Cu 

30 

do 

4  Cu-N 

31 

do 

5  Cu-N 

321 

WINDS. 

The  force  of  the  wind  is  estimated  and  is  given  according  to  the  following  notation: 

0,  calm. 

1,  light  airs. 

2,  light  breeze. 

3,  gentle  breeze. 

4,  moderate  breeze. 

5,  fresh  breeze. 

6,  strong  breeze. 

7,  moderate  gale. 

8,  fresh  gale. 

9,  strong  gale. 

10,  whole  gale. 

11,  storm. 

12,  hurricane. 

Direction  {magnetic)  and  force  of  wind  observed  on  board  the  V.  S.  8.  Nunivak,  Yukon 

River,  Alaska. 

SEPTEMBER,  1899. 
[Astronomical  time  used.] 


Rampart  City,  65° 

N.,  150°  10' W 

do 

do 

65°40'N.,  149°  55' W.. 

66°00'N.,  149°  15'  \V.. 
do 

Rampart  City 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Coalmine  65°40'N., 

149°  55' W 

do 

do 

Between   coal   mine 
and  Dall  River 

DallRiver66°00'N., 

149°  15'  W 

do :.... 


.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 


Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
2  S\V.  x  S. 

1  North. 

2  NE. 

2  NNE. 

2  NNW. 

Calm. 

1  NNW. 
2SW. 

4  SSW. 

2  S.  x  E. 

3  North. 
2  NNW7. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

INW.xN. 

Calm. 

1SE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  West. 
1  WSW. 

Calm. 


Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
2  NE. 
2  NNE. 
1  N  x  W. 

1  N  x  W. 
1NE, 
1SSE. 

2  WSW. 
Calm. 

3  NE.  x  N. 
1  NNE. 

1  NNE. 

1  NNE. 

2  North. 

2  South. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
2  WSW. 
2  WSW. 
2  WSW. 


Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
5  NNE. 
3  NNE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1NE. 
3SE. 

Calm. 

2  South. 

3  NNE. 
3  NNE. 

1ESE. 
1NW. 
Calm. 


1  South. 
1  South. 
1  South. 
1  South. 
1  South. 
1  South. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 


Calm. 
1  NNW. 
1NNW. 
1  NNW. 
1  XX  w. 
1NNW. 
1NNW. 
1NNE. 

3  North. 
Calm. 

1NW. 

1  East. 
2SSE. 

Calm. 
Calm. 

4  NNE. 

2  NNE. 

1ENE. 
Calm. 
Calm. 


1  South.        2  SW. 


2SW. 
2SW. 
2SW. 
2SW. 
2SW. 
2SW. 
1  West. 
1  West. 
1  Wrest. 


Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
4  North. 
2NW.xW. 

4  NW.  x  N. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

5  SSW. 
1SW. 

5  North. 
5  North. 

Calm. 
4NW. 
3ESE. 

1SE. 

1SE. 
1SE. 
1SE. 
1SE. 
1SE. 
1SE. 
2  WSW. 
2  WSW. 
2  WSW. 


Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
2  South. 

1  North. 
2NE. 

2  NNE. 
3Nx  W. 
2  SSW. 

2  SSW. 
lNx  W. 
5SSE. 

1  South. 

3  SSW. 

4  North. 

2  North. 

2  North. 
4NW. 
Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm, 

Calm. 
1  West. 
1  WSW. 
1  WSW. 
1  WSW. 


322 

Direction  {magnetic)  and  force  of  wind  observed  on  board  the  U.  8.  S.  Nunivak,  Yukon 

River,  Alaska — Continued. 

OCTOBER,  1899. 


Date. 


Place. 


tli. 


Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 


River,  Alaska 
...do 


.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do, 
.do, 
.do. 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do, 
.do, 


8h. 


Calm. 

Calm. 
2North. 
3  NE.  x  E. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 


Calm. 

1  Var. 

2  North. 

3  NNE. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 


12h. 


Calm. 

1  Var. 

2  North. 
2  NNE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
2  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 


16h. 


Calm. 
2NE. 
2  North. 
INNE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 


24h. 


Calm. 
INE. 
1  North. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 


INE. 
INE. 
2  NNE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  WSW. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  West. 


NOVEMBER,  1899. 


1 

2 

Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

do 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
INE. 
3  NNE. 

1  Var. 
Calm. 

2NNW. 
3  North. 
2NE. 
2NE. 

Calm. 
2NE. 
3NE. 

2  North. 
2NE. 

Calm. 
2  North. 

Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
INW. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

2  NNE. 
Calm. 

1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  North. 
2NE. 
2NE. 

Calm. 
INE. 
3NE. 
2NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

3  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
ISW. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm, 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3  North. 
2  NNE. 
INNE. 

1  Var. 
Calm. 

2NNW. 

2  North. 
3NE. 
INE. 

1  Var. 

Calm. 
3NE. 

3  North. 
Calm. 

2NE. 
3  North. 

Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
3  North. 

2  NNE. 
IVar. 

Calm. 
Calm. 

3  North. 

1  North. 
2NE. 
2NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3NE. 
3  North. 

Calm. 
2NE. 

2  North. 

Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

1  West. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

2  North. 

3  NNE. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

1  North. 
INE. 

2  North. 
2NE. 
INE. 

2  NE. 

3  NE. 

2  North. 
Calm. 
IVar. 
2  North. 

Calm. 
Calm. 

3 

do 

1  Var. 

4 

do 

Calm. 

5 

...de 

Calm. 

6 

...do 

7 

....do 

8 

do 

9 

do 

Calm. 

10 

do 

Calm. 

11 

do 

10 

...do... 

Calm. 

18 

do... 

Calm. 

14 

do 

Calm. 

15 

do 

3NE. 

16 

do 

2  NNE. 

17 

do 

IVar. 

18 

do...           

Calm. 

19 

do 

2  NNE. 

20 

do 

2  NNE. 

21 

do 

2NE. 

22 

...do... 

2  NNE. 

23 

do... 

INE. 

24 

do... 

2NE. 

25 

do 

3NE. 

26 
27 

do 

do... 

INE. 
2  North. 

28 

do... 

Calm. 

29 

do 

2NE. 

30 

do 

1  East. 

323 


Direction  (magnetic)  and  force  of  wind  observed  on  board  the  V.  S.  S.  Xunivak, 

River,  Alaska — Continued. 


Yukon 


DECEMBER.  1899. 


Date. 

Place. 

4h. 

8h. 

12h. 

16h. 

20h. 

24h. 

1 

2 
3 
4 

5  1 
6 

Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

do 

do 

do 

do 

...do... 

Calm. 
1  NE. 

Calm. 
5  NE. 
1  NE. 

Calm. 
1  NE. 

Calm. 
1  NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  SE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3  WNW. 
1  SW 
1  SW. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

("aim. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
4  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3  West. 
2  West. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3  ESE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
2  South. 

Calm. 
1  South. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3  NE. 

Calm. 
1  NE. 
1  West. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

1  SW. 

2  South. 
1  West. 
1  NW. 

Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
3  North. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3  North. 
2  NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

7 
8 

do 

do 

Calm. 
Calm. 

9 

do 

Calm. 

10 

do 

Calm. 

11 

do 

1  SE. 

12 

do 

1  Var. 

13 

...do 

Calm. 

14 

...do 

1  SE. 

15 

...do 

2  West. 

16 

do 

2  NW. 
1  NW. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  South. 
1  North. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

1  West. 

17 

do 

Calm. 

18 

...do 

Calm. 

19 

...do 

Calm. 

20 

do 

Calm. 

21 

do 

Calm. 

22 

do 

23 

...do  ... 

Calm 

24 

...do... 

Calm. 

25 

do 

Calm. 

26 

do 

27 

do 

Calm. 

28 

do 

Calm. 

29 

30 

do 

do 

Calm. 
Calm. 

31 

do 

Calm. 

JANUARY,  1900. 


Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

do 


do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 


Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

NE. 

North. 

North. 

North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Var. 

North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

South. 

South. 

Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 


Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
1NE. 
3  NW. 

1  North. 

2  North. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

1  Var. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

3  South. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

1  Var. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 


Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1NE. 
3  North. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 
2SW. 
1SE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
2SE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 


1SE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3  North. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

1  North. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

2  West. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
1  Var. 
Calm. 
Calm. 


Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 
1NE. 
3  North. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1SE. 
3SW. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 


Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
4NE. 
2  North. 
2  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
lVar. 
1  Var. 

1  North. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

2  South. 
1SW. 

Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

1  NNW. 
1NE. 

2  North 
Calm. 
Calm. 


324 

Direction  (magnetic)  and  force  of  wind  observed  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Nunivak,  Yukon 

River,  Alaska — Continued. 

FEBRUARY,  1900. 


Date. 

Place. 

4h. 

8h. 

12h. 

16h. 

20h. 

24h. 

1 
2 

Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

do 

IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1SW. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

1  Var. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

2  South. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

IVar. 
IVar. 
2NE. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
2NE. 
2NE. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
2NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
2NE. 

Calm. 
3  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
4  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

Calm. 
IVar. 
INW. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
INW. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
2NW. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
INW. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
IVar. 
IVar. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
Calm. 

3 

....do 

Calm. 

4 

do 

1SW. 

5 

do 

Calm. 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

...do 

Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
1  Var. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

16 

...do 

3NE. 

17 

do 

Calm. 

18 
19 

do 

do 

Calm. 
3XE. 

20 

do 

Calm. 

21 

...do 

Calm. 

22 

...do... 

3NE. 

23 
24 

do 

do 

Calm. 
Calm. 

25 

...do 

1ESE. 

26 

do 

2SE. 

27 

do 

INE. 

28 

do 

Calm. 

MARCH,  1900. 


1 

2 

Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

do 

1  Var. 
INW. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 
IVar. 
IVar. 
2NE. 
IVar. 

1  Var. 
2NE. 

2  East. 
ISE. 

1  West. 
ISE. 

1  Var. 
Calm. 

ISE. 
2NE. 

Calm. 
1ENE. 
IVar. 
3NE. 

2  NE.  x  E. 
2  NNE. 

1  NNE. 
2NE. 
INE. 
INE. 

2  WNW. 
1  WNW. 
1NNW. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  South. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

1  Var. 

2  North. 

1  East. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

2  NE. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

1  Var. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

2  NE. 
2NE.XE. 
2  NNE. 

1  NNE. 

2  NE. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

2  WNW. 
1  WNW. 
1  NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  North. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

1  North. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

2  NE. 

2  NE. 

3  NNE. 

1  NNE. 

2  NE. 
Calm. 

1  Var. 
1  Var. 
1  Var. 
Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  SE. 
1  SE. 
1  SE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

1  NE. 

2  NNW. 
2  North. 

1  Var. 

2  NE. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

1  South. 

Calm. 

1  NNW. 

1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  NNE. 
1  Var. 
1  North. 
1  Var. 
1  NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  South. 

1  Var. 

2  NNE. 

1  WSW. 

2  NE. 

3 

do 

Calm. 

4 

do 

Calm. 

5 

...do... 

2  NE. 

6 

...do... 

7 

...do... 

Calm. 

8 

...do 

Calm. 

9 

...do 

2  SSE. 

10 

....do 

1  SE. 

11 

do 

2  NE. 

12 

do 

Calm. 

13 

....do 

Calm. 

14 

...do 

Calm. 

15 

...do 

1  NE. 

16 

....do 

1  Var. 

17 

....do 

Calm. 

18 

do 

1  ENE. 

19 

...do... 

2  NE. 

20 

...do... 

Calm. 

21 

....do 

2  NE.  x  E. 

22 
23 

do 

.....do 

2  NE.  x  E. 

2  NNE. 

24 

do 

2  NE. 

25 

do 

1  NE. 

26 

do... 

IVar. 

27 

do 

1  East. 

28 

...  .do 

1  WNW. 

29 

do 

1  WNW. 

30 

do... 

1  Var. 

31 

do 

lSW.xW. 

325 

Direction  (magnetic)  and  force  of  wind  observed  on  board  the  U.  8.  &  Xunivak,  Yukon 

River,  Alaska — Continued. 

APRIL,  1900. 


Date. 


16h. 


20h. 


24h. 


in 

11 

12 

IS 

14 

15 

16 

17 

1* 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27  ! 

28 

29 


Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 


....do 

....do 

....do... 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 


.do. 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 


1  Var. 

3  W.  x  N. 
2NW. 

2  North. 
2  N.  x  E. 
1  Var. 
1SSW. 

1  NNE. 

1  Var. 
1NE. 

Calm. 
2NE.xE. 

2  NE. 
Calm. 

2NE. 

Calm. 
1  WNW. 

1  NW. 
1NE. 

2  North. 
2NE. 
1NE. 

1  Var. 
INE. 
1ENE. 

2  SE.  x  S. 
2  Var. 

1  Var. 

2  South. 
1  NW. 


1  WNW. 

2  SSW. 

1  Var. 

2  East. 

1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

1  Var. 

2  NE. 
INE. 

Calm. 
1  North. 
1  Var. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
2N.  xE. 
1  NNE. 
2NE. 
INE. 
1  Var. 
1  Var. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 
l  BW. 

Calm. 

Calm. 


Calm. 

1  SW. 
Calm. 

2  ENE. 
1  North. 
1SSE. 

1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
3NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

1  South. 
Calm. 

2  North. 
1  NNE. 
2NE. 

1  NE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 


2  SW. 

1  NNE. 
Calm. 

2  ENE. 
INE. 
1SSE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 
1  Var. 
lVar. 

1  Var. 
Calm. 

2N.xE. 
2NE. 

2  NE. 
Calm. 

1  Var. 
INE. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

3  South. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 


1  WNW. 
lEast. 

Calm. 
2NE. 
1  NNE. 
1SSE. 
lVar. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
3NE. 
1  Var. 
1  Var. 
1  Var. 
1  Var. 
IW.xN. 

1  NW. 
2NE. 

2  NNW. 
2NE. 

1  North. 

lEast. 

INE. 

INE. 

1  South. 

lEast. 

3SSE. 

1SSW. 

1  Var. 


4  W.  x  N. 

1  Var. 

2  North. 

3  North. 
2  NNE. 
3SSE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1SE. 
1  East. 
2NE. 

1  Var. 
INE. 

Calm. 
IW.xN. 
lVar. 

2  NNE. 
2NE. 
2NE. 

2  NNE. 
2  NE. 
1  Var. 
INE. 

Calm. 
2SE. 
1  Var. 
4SSE. 
1SW. 

4  NNE. 


MAY,  1900. 


Fort  Shoemaker,  Dall 

River,  Alaska 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do ! 

do ! 

do 

do • 

do 

do | 

do 

do I 

do 

do 

do 

do 

65°  55'  N. 
do... 

65°  40'  N. 

do... 

do.. 

do.. 


149°  18' W.. 

I 


4  North. 
3  North. 
Calm. 
INE. 

1  Var. 
INE. 

2  NNE. 
2  NNE. 

2  NNE. 
INE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 
1  Var. 
INE. 
2NE. 
2NE. 
2NE. 
1  NNE. 
INE. 
1  ENE. 
1  North. 
1SW. 
INE. 
2NE. 

3  NNW. 
3  NNW. 
3  NNW. 
2NW. 
2ESE. 

Calm. 
2SE. 


2  North. 

3  North. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 
Calm. 

1  Var. 

2  NE. 

2  NNE. 
1  Var. 
1  Var. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
INE. 
INE. 
INE. 
2NE. 
1  Var.  ' 
INE. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 

1  Var. 
Calm. 

INE. 

2  WNW. 
2NE. 

Calm. 
2  WNW. 
1  Var. 

Calm. 
1SSW. 


4  North. 

4  North. 

1  Var. 

Calm. 

1  Var. 

1SE. 

1  Var. 

1  Var. 

Calm. 

INE. 

1  North. 

3NE. 

2NE. 

2  NNE. 

2NE. 

3  NNE. 

1  Var. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

2  South. 

Calm. 

INE. 

1  Var. 

INE. 

INE. 

INE. 

INE. 

INE. 

INE. 

2NE. 

1  NNE. 

1  North. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

INE. 

INE. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

Calm. 

1SE. 

2NE. 

1  North. 

2  NNE. 

1  NNE. 

2NE. 

3  NW. 

2  NNW. 

1  NW. 

1  NNE. 

2  NNW. 

1  NW. 

2  NW. 

2  NW. 

3NW.xN. 

1  Var. 

2  NNW. 

Calm. 

2  NW. 

1  NE.  x  E. 

2SE. 

0 


4 


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